Visitors April 23 = 6,521 / April 24 = 7,172 / April 25 = 7,192　　 [Total] = 20,885

“JAPAN Tex-Promotion” is a collaboration of producers and students. This is a second session in the series, starting at JFW-JC. Following last year’s “Print,” this year seeks “Possibility of Dyeing & Finishing Expression.” Challenging students to be touched by the products with a fresh surprise, at booths packed with textiles manufactured by the latest dyeing & finishing technologies of exhibitors. Tex-Promotion is an industrial-academic collaboration aiming at cultivating young people having deep knowledge of textiles and having creative design sense. Using the textiles manufactured by advanced technology cultivated in textile-producing districts and a young sense of fashion, it is intended to produce fashion having the original taste of the materials. This time, 10 companies participating in the collaboration presented original products at the booth of Tex-Promotion. This is a special booth opened for students to help understand the dyeing & finishing technologies. The visiting students were surprised and shocked by the height of technology beyond their imagination, and the importance of dyeing & finishing technology in the expression of textiles. In the forum entitled “Possibility of Dyeing & Finishing Expression” held on April 23, leaders of cooperating companies joined the panel, Masami Okuda, President of OＫＵＤＡ DＹＥＩＮＧ WＯＲＫＳ CＯ., LＴＤ., and Tomio Tsuda, Manager of the Merchandise Project Development Section at ＫＯＭＡＴＳＵ ＳＥＩＲＥＮ CO.,LTD, and discussed the present situation of dyeing & finishing technology, and advised on collaboration. Okuda called for collaboration to “invite students to join and play together to do something new.” The booth also demonstrated the cutting skills of velveteen and corduroy by the Shizuoka Prefecture Velveteen and Corduroy Industrial Association, and attracted lots of audience members seeing these techniques in use for the first time.   SOTOH is a dyeing and finishing company, originally using physical and chemical technology mainly for wool materials. Installing the leading and latest equipment, SOTOH is meeting new needs in the industry. One specialty is “Denim Wool.” It realizes inside-white dyeing like cotton denim by piece-dyeing wool fabrics. Other surprises include enhanced gloss in cotton and cotton/synthetic blends, and the “Aqua-Clean” series expressing a natural gloss in wool blends.   “Vintage Sen-i” developed by KOMATSU SEIREN is a fabric of a completely new sensation, neither synthetic fiber nor cotton, created by dyeing & finishing technology of high craftsmanship, on the basis of the natural feel of yarn and fabrics. The main feature is the natural and relaxed expression like sun-dried texture, a bulky and airy touch, compact and fresh dryness, etc.   From lightweight fabrics to mediumweight and heavyweight fabrics as well as prints, this Fukui-based SAKAIOVEX is creating textiles by utilizing versatile technologies of functional and sensible dyeing and finishing mainly meeting needs of synthetic fiber fabrics. The booth features “Silfy,” a combination of fine-denier polyester slub yarn and natural fibers, processed to give airy, light, and a natural touch, and “Esmetallion” expressing a metallic feel, an original wet touch, and elegant and distinguished gloss. Not limited to secondary dyeing and finishing for touch, they process to add various functions such as comfort, cleanness, ease at heart, safety, luminous storing, and aroma.   TAKAIWA DYING WORKS is a dyeing & finishing company having a forte for heavyweight fabrics of cotton, polyester/cotton blends, and others. It combines “Premium Peach,” bio dyeing and finishing, coating, and resin dyeing and finishing, and expresses various colors and touches. By using reactive dye and sulfur dye, it creates original tastes. Another specialty is the “Black Series.” It presents various black colors from ink black to pale black by various dyeing & finishing methods.   Having stocks of indigo dyeing and special weaving gray fabrics, KOJIMA SENSYOKU is ready to meet all requests of dyeing. Using indigo-dyed cotton in the warp and hemp in the weft, it expresses stripes, or patterns by discharge style. Mainly vegetable-dyeing is proposed for gray fabrics. Indigo dyeing is receiving many inquires from men's casual wear makers. The sophisticated classy feel seems to be suited to casual wear.   Inheriting the traditional dyeing technique of kimono. So far, this shop has been proposing marble dyeing, sumi-nagashi, tie-dyeing. This time, ombre dyeing is the feature. Samples include recycled products. Based on the tradition of yuzen of Kyoto, ombre dyeing is unique but has been rarely used in Western apparel, but it is relatively suited to ground dyeing. Please look closely at the beauty of uniform dyeing free of gradation. Professionals of traditional techniques are elderly, and the shop welcomes young people interested in the traditional dyeing.   A-GIRL’S Co., Ltd. TAKISADA-NAGOYA CO., LTD. TAKISADA-OSAKA CO., LTD. YAMAZAKI CO., LTD. JFW-JC participated in Interstoff Asia Essential held in Hong Kong to promote the show. This is a part of efforts for internationalization. Exhibitors are expecting oversees buyers. The number is not so great, but European and the U.S. buyers visited JFW-JC from the first day. A-GIRL’S Co., Ltd. recently exporting to Europe and the U.S. aggressively, is exhibiting apparel made by European and U.S. fashion houses utilizing fabrics of the company. Most exhibits are for Japanese buyers, but the firm is also prepared to meet anytime with foreign buyers. At the booth of TAKISADA-OSAKA, in the morning of the opening day, the majority of buyers picking up fabrics were from abroad. The company sent direct mails of JFW-JC to overseas buyers, and new buyers from abroad visited the booth on the first day. The firm has been increasing textile exports to medium- to high-end houses in the past several years. In the U.S. market, with a suddenly declining economy, the decrease in its exports remained only at several percent, and they analyze that the company name is prevailing in the market. The booth of men’s wear fabrics of TAKISADA-NAGOYA was visited by three overseas buyers on the first day. Some of the members of a buying office of European and U.S. companies located in Hong Kong knew the name of the TAKISADA GROUP in New York, and visited the booth at JWF-JC. Most exhibitors in JWF-JC are aiming at women’s wear fabrics, and it is pointed out that overseas buyers of men’s wear fabrics are still few. YAMAZAKI CO., LTD. proposes organic cotton every year. Within the show period, one or two overseas buyers visit the booth every time. The company has a Hong Kong office, and is exporting to European and U.S. companies. The company is prepared to talk business with overseas buyers.   On April 24, JFW-JC held a Forum on “Japanese Textile - Challenge to the Global Market” in the forum hall. Speakers were Masao Yamashita, President of A-GIRL’S; Masami Tatsumi, President of TATSUMI SHOKUFU; and Masaki Sato, President of SATO SENI. The coordinator was Kazuhiro Kanai, Business Support Department Texile Industry Office Manager at the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan. They frankly talked about the reasons for starting exports, experience of difficulties, the present attitude, and the future strategies. As the advice to new comers in the export business, they unanimously stressed the importance of a strong will to overcome difficulties. After the forum session, “Overseas Export Guidebook - Challenge to the Global Market” compiled by the organization and its DVD were distributed to the audience.   Cindy Chee, Trade Fair Manager of Messe Frankfurt (Hong Kong) JFW-JC is well-organized, and visited by many people, and the business talks are active and vivid. Exhibits are excellent, and the level of presentation is very high. I cannot speak Japanese, but there was no problem when I visited the booth alone. Simple English is no problem in communication. However, it is not enough for serious business talks. Fluent speakers of English were found in some booths. In JFW-JC, we are introducing Interstoff Asia to be held in Hong Kong. Next time, we will hold the show from October 8 to 10, 2008. Aiming at China’s of mass market, Hong Kong is operating high end business. European and the U.S. buyers are searching for products of middle class to volume zone in China, and they buy high-end products into Hong Kong. Entry in Hong Kong exhibits will be profitable for Japanese makers.   Yasuhiko Ito, President of Textile and Fashion Resource Ishikawa Corporation Ishikawa Prefecture has opened shows in Kanazawa, and Textile and Fashion Resource Ishikawa Corporation solely has opened shows once a year. Last year, we held an exhibition in Roppongi, Tokyo. We have up an independent show this time. Ishikawa Prefecture will participate in the next JFW-JC slated for October 2008. We are supported by the local government, and we will open a huge island-like exhibit corner by emphasizing the origin of synthetic fiber textiles. About 25 to 30 makers of women’s wear, men’s wear, and sportswear fabrics will join to transmit striking messages. It is important to publicize the local color, and it is more important to create a new fashion industry in the future. The Governor of Ishikawa Prefecture, Masanori Tanimoto is scheduled to visit the show. We thank the understanding and support of the prefecture.   Tokyo Fashion Tower Tokyo Fashion Tower is located next to Big Site. On the second floor, coffee shops, restaurants, and shops of various goods are available. In particular, a 100-yen shop is recommended. Many people visit the show from other prefectures or other countries. If you need stationeries, sanitary goods, clothing such as neckties and underwear, or groceries, you can buy them at the 100-yen shop. You can also find hamburger shops, coffee houses, sushi bars, noodle shops, and many others. You can also buy souvenirs and gifts.