Communication: The Survival Inspiration Of A Japanese Family Textile Workshop

　　 About 100 kilometers from Tokyo, the city of Tong Sheng, Kun Ma, is known as "Japan." Textile town "Reputation". The Matsui Knitting Technology Research Institute near the Tong Sheng station is a family textile factory with a history of 100 years. Although it is small in scale, it has experienced and overcome the challenges of kimono's demand shrinking, the textile trade friction between the US and Japan, and the appreciation of the Japanese yen. At present, the fabric produced by the factory has become the storefront of New York Museum of modern art. Hot-sale product And ranked first in store sales for 5 consecutive years.

　　 In Japan, it belongs to the sunset industry. Textile industry A family workshop with only 8 employees, relying on unique technology and flexible market decision-making mechanism, has finally become an example of Japanese small and medium manufacturing enterprises to survive and win in globalization.

Historically, "Tung Tung Sheng, Xijing capital" is the two largest textile industry in Japan. Matsui's knitting factory is a wooden house with hundreds of years old in Matsui's house. There are several Old French textile machines clicking inside the house. Matsui Zhiji, chief executive, told reporters that one of the machines had been in service for more than 50 years and could continue to start after renovation. In the final process of the production line, the colorful spun scarf was spun out at the end of the machine, which made the dark house look a bit bright.

These scarves will appear at the store of the Museum of modern art in New York, with products from many famous designers. Browse the online store of New York Museum of modern art. Matsui Ya's 2010 autumn winter scarf is in the eye at 48 to 65 dollars each. Since the first time the museum counter was put up in 1999, Matsui Ya's fabric has been inexhaustible.

Matsui's textile mill was founded in 1907 and changed to its current name in 1962. At that time, Japanese textiles were exported to the United States, and Matsui Ya's spinning machines continued day after day. However, it did not last long. In 1971, the United States abandoned the gold standard, and the yen began to appreciate sharply against the US dollar. During the same period, Japan and the United States continued to dispute the import and export trade of textiles, and finally ended with Japan's own restrictions on textile exports. With this double blow, Matsui Ya's textile exports collapsed and the business was in trouble. Matsui Zhiji, the brother of President Matsui Toshio, worked in a textile trading company. He urged his brother to refocus his eyes on the domestic market. The breakthrough was the well-known OEM production. Some brands of Japanese famous designers such as Lssey Miyake and Wakubo Rei are responsible for production by Matsui.

In the 90s of last century, with the surge of globalization, Japanese clothing brands shifted the OEM to other cheaper areas in Asia. Matsui family fell to a low level again. It was closed for business in 1991. After 5 years, the machine was restarted, but it could only be maintained.

The new turnaround took place in 1999. That year, a designer and a purchaser from the Museum of modern art in New York appeared at Matsui's home. The two task is to find products suitable for sale in museums around the world, and the unique technology and design of Matsui's knitted fabric attracts them. The first order of 400 scarves was sold out after being sold. The New York Museum of modern art added orders, and the goods were sold out again. Since 2003, the annual sales volume of the Matsui scarf has been more than 10 thousand only in the shop of the Museum of modern art in New York.

Brother Matsui Toshio is now a professional director in charge of operations. He told reporters that the pursuit of store goods in New York Museum of modern art originated from the Bauhaus style in Germany, and the combination of industrial design and art.

Brother Matsui Zhiji emphasized that as many as 8 kinds of color combination weaving and fine slow knit knitting technology, it is necessary to carefully care for the machine. This makes the Matsui's knitted fabric difficult to be simulated by mass production line, so as to ensure the competitive advantage.

For some time, the fabric of the Museum of modern art in New York is still OEM. Since 2005, Matsui Ya has decided to create his own brand "KNITTINGINN". Today, Matsui Ya's knitted scarves, hats and gloves appear in Japanese museums, art galleries, airports and large department stores. Annual sales of about 100 million yen, the proportion of independent brands has reached 70%. Matsui Toshio said that they are actively exploring the European market and have begun consultations with famous art museums in the UK and Ireland. Among them, the famous London TAD Gallery has sold the Matsui scarf at the gallery's gift shop since August this year.

　　 If the market is bigger, do we need to consider updating machines and expanding production? For this question, Mr. Matsui, 72, looks around a workshop about 200 square meters. He smiles and says that the limited output is also good, and the output is large and the price will not go up.