COVER STORY • 8 Japanese Support World Fashion Industry By Hirai Katsuhiko

I. Introduction required to continue its uninterrupted in sharp contrast to the conventional R&D efforts to stave off competition pattern of mass production and mass Imports accounted for 85% of ’s from rivals, challenge technological consumption. The recent development goods market as calculated on a breakthroughs and aim at developing of computerized control of customer thread basis in 2005. Notably, 90% of higher-level technologies. With these information is helping make this system clothing sales in Japan were imports in advantages, Japanese products can secure possible. The ultimate goal is to win an terms of the number of clothing items, a sizable share and survive in the world’s order for a single ready-made article, not and 90% of such imports were from high-end clothing market. a custom-made one. . This shows that the Japanese Following is an overview of Japanese- High-functional textiles were first market has been swept by imports, par- made textiles which support Japan’s used for new functional sportswear for ticularly Chinese-made goods, and that fashion industry. Olympic athletes and for uniforms that Japan’s domestic is in an require special functions. They were extremely tough situation. But in terms II. Overview later used for general clothing such as of value, imports’ share in Japan’s cloth- casual wear. Among them are light- ing market was about 60%, indicating As mentioned above, Japanese textiles weight and heat-retaining fleece wear that domestic products have seized a rel- are backed by the high-level technologi- and easy-to-move comfort clothing atively large share compared with that in cal development capabilities of manufac- made of stretchy materials. Demand for volume terms. This apparently shows turers. They are characterized by a com- clothing has changed from quantity to that Japan’s clothing market is divided bination of materials, weaving and knit- quality keeping pace with improvement into two segments. One is the low- ting, and dyeing. This means best-suit- in the quality of life. Furthermore, in priced product market, or the so-called ed weaving/knitting and dyeing are Japan recently, consumers have become volume zone. The other is the medium- applied to materials to bring out their sensitive to purity, health and the envi- and high-priced product market, called features to the maximum. This can be ronment. As a result, there have the small-lot zone, which needs makers’ made possible only with cooperation appeared such materials with psycholog- quick response to market trends. between thread makers and textile pro- ically comfortable effects as those shield- Japan’s domestically made products ducers. Regrettably, Japan’s textile-pro- ing ultraviolet rays, chilly to touch, use- appear to have seized the latter market ducing districts have become exhausted ful for moisture retention or whitening, segment. under import pressures in recent years. and providing healing effects. Needless to say, the high-end clothing But there have appeared some fresh Meanwhile, attention has been market, which forms the core of the moves toward reactivating textile-pro- focused recently on the polylactic-acid fashion industry, is supported by the ducing centers such as formulating clus- whose environmental burden is industry’s total capabilities of software ters of thread makers and textile produc- low. Polylactic acid is produced from and hardware encompassing the design, ers, paving the way for steadily rehabili- such biomass feedstock as corn starch textile and apparel fields. Among other tating the textile industry. and sugarcane. Bacterial fermentation is things, the textile field is the linchpin of The Japanese market is characterized used to produce lactic acid, which is the fashion industry that helps display by the growing individualization of polymerized into polylactic acid. its soft power. Japanese-made textiles clothing and the rising sense of environ- Carbon dioxide emissions from the are highly competitive and stand out in mental preservation. Amid such incineration of used products made of the world. changes in awareness, some textile-pro- biomass resources are considered not to Backed by its technological and prod- ducing regions have drawn attention for increase the concentration of carbon uct development capabilities ranked at their new technological trends. Among dioxide in the air. This is because the the top of the world, Japan’s textile them are the high-mix, small-lot and carbon dioxide emitted from such prod- industry has an advantage in the field of short-cycle production system that cov- ucts was originally absorbed from the air high-quality and high-functional prod- ers processes from weaving and knitting through photosynthesis by the plant ucts. In fact, the Japanese textile indus- to dyeing and sewing, and technologies used as their feedstock. This condition try’s technological and development on wastewater-free dyeing in supercriti- is called “carbon neutral.” Polylactic capabilities provide it with the main cal carbon dioxide. Notably, the former acid can be called one of global-scale, source of its international competition. system permits production of trendy resource-recycling materials and has Rival countries are fast catching up with products in the volume needed and in begun to win market appreciation for its Japan. Japan’s textile industry is required time based on consumer needs, contribution to environmental preserva-

24 JAPAN SPOTLIGHT • March / April 2007 COVER STORY • 8

Chart 1: Chart 2: Life cycle of polylactic acid fiber (carbon neutral) (courtesy of ) ’s “HYGRA-LU” (courtesy of Unitika Ltd.)

Moisture release

Water-absorbing polyester

Moisture-absorbing/ releasing

Moisture/water absorption Skin side Mechanism chart for moisture/water-absorbing & quickly drying material tion. Thus, carbon-neutral synthetic made of more than 1.4 million fila- 1. “Cool Biz” materials produced from biomass resources ments, each measuring only tens of as their feedstock will draw more atten- nanometers in diameter, has also been (1) Moisture- & sweat-absorbing, tion from the viewpoint of global envi- developed, contributing to the birth of a quickly drying materials ronmental protection. (Chart 1) variety of products for multipurpose Chemical components of fibers main- Nanotechnology-applied fibers have applications based on the characteristic ly determine the level of their moisture- also drawn attention. The technology superficial dimension and other features. absorbing capability. Their water- enables full control, on the nano scale (Photo 2) absorbing capability improves under the (less than 100 nanometers), of the por- capillary phenomenon caused by enlarg- tion of a fiber to be processed, the use of III. Trends of Technological ing the surface area per fiber unit mass a chemical agent for processing, and the Renovations (or making a fiber thin, deforming cross fiber structure. The technology creates sections, cutting gashes on the lateral new textile functions and greatly Japanese textile makers have achieved side of a fiber, or making the fiber struc- improvesCorn features, functions and the various technological renovations in ture porous). Synthetic fibers are inferi- scope of application, compared with recent years. The Environment or in moisture absorption as a whole. conventional processing. This is called Ministry has since 2005 promoted But there are reformed synthetic fiber nano-scale processing. Under the tech- “Cool Biz” and “Warm Biz” campaigns materials whose moisture-absorbing nology, each single fiber is evenly coat- as part of efforts to fight global warming capability has been improved. At the ed. Products with functions such as and save energy. It has set the recom- same time, some materials excel in anti-pollen adhesion, water absorption mended summertime office temperature water-absorbing capability. Synthetic and anti-static functions have been at 28C under the Cool Biz drive and its fibers with improved moisture- and developed. (Photo 1) A nylon nanofiber winter equivalent at 20C under the water-absorbing capabilities release extra Photo 1: Warm Biz moisture absorbed and thus become Example of nano-scale processing Photo 2: Example of nanofibers campaign. quickly drying materials. Textile makers One example of moisture/water- have come up absorbing and quick-drying materials is a with materials mixture of reformed nylon with suiting clothes improved moisture-absorbing and - for such pur- releasing capabilities and “heteromorphic poses in cross-sectional polyester” with improved response to water-absorbing capability. The mixed the summer material quickly releases sweat absorbed, and winter curbs discomfort inside clothing, and anti-global maintains comfort. (Chart 2) warming cam- paigns. (2) Highly breathable materials This is a TEM (transmission electron This is a TEM photo of Toray microscope) photo of Toray Industries’ nanofiber. It shows Following are Among examples of highly breath- Industries’ “NANOMATRIX.” It shows nanofibers in a bundled state. examples of able materials enabling fabric to have polyester filaments in a filmy state after being melted. such materials. improved breathability and water-

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Photo 3: Photo 5: Photo 6: Photo 7: Toray’s “kazetoru-shirt” ’s “AEROTOP” Fibers’ “TWINAIR” Toray’s “CEBONNER SUMLON” (courtesy of Toray Industries) (courtesy of Teijin Ltd.) (courtesy of Asahi Kasei Fibers) (courtesy of Toray Industries)

One of the fiber components Photo 4: ’s “VENTCOOL” Hollow fibers melted to make the fiber (courtesy of Mitsubishi Rayon Co.) hollow

Acetate (turned into cellulose) 2. “Warm Biz” materials IV. Conclusion

Triacetate (1) Light, heat-retaining materials The above are limited examples of A rise in the air porosity of fiber leads innovations achieved by Japan’s textile to production of a light-weight, heat- industry. The industry has made full retaining material. Fiber with air poros- use of its yarn-making technologies, ity is called hollow fiber. There are two including those for heteromorphic cross- different methods to produce hollow sectional fiber, ultrafine fiber, composite fiber. One is to produce hollow fiber fiber and polymer blend, to develop a from the start. (Photos 5, 6) The other variety of fibers and textiles. The is to produce fiber made from two com- world’s fashion industry is expected to ponents, weave or knit the fiber into be further diversified from now on. fabric, and melt one of the components Backed by its high-level technological Dry condition Moist condition to make the fiber hollow. (Photo 7) and development capabilities, Japan’s textile industry is certain that it will be absorbing capability is one that uses het- (2) Heat-generating materials able to meet needs of the global fashion eromorphic cross-sectional polyester as Among these materials is one contain- industry. woof and unevenly surfaced cotton yarn ing substance that absorbs sunlight and Moreover, the use of fibers is expand- as warp. This particular type of poly- changes it to heat energy (zirconium car- ing not only for clothing but for busi- ester excels in water-absorbing and bide is an example). Such a substance is nesses like automobiles, aircraft and con- quick-drying capabilities, while the kneaded into fiber. The surface temper- struction materials as well as for homes. breathability of cotton yarn is improved ature of clothing made of such textile Japan’s fiber and textile industry ranks at with a patterned indented surface. The materials goes up as the substance con- the top in the world not only in the breathability of fabric made of the tained absorbs sunlight and turns it to fashion field but in all other fields. Its mixed material is five times larger and its heat. Besides the sunlight-to-heat func- power is based on its technological and water-absorbing capability seven times tion, the heat-retaining capability of development capabilities. larger than that of a shirt made of a mix- clothing is improved by an added func- ture of conventional polyester and cot- tion of allowing heat from the human Editor’s note: ton. (Photo 3) body (far-infrared rays) to bounce back The product names in quotation marks are the trademarks from the inner surface of clothing, thus of the companies concerned. (3)Breathability-controlling materials keeping the heat inside. (Photos 8, 9) One breathability-controlling material Photo 8: Unitika’s “THERMOTORON” Photo 9: Black silica-kneaded fiber used for ’s is a thread made from woven and knit (courtesy of Unitika Ltd.) “MICROWARM” (courtesy of Kuraray Co.) triacetate and acetate (diacetate) pro- duced through the composite spinning Zirconium carbide is kneaded into every of the two synthetic fibers, with the filament. acetate (diacetate) portion deacetylated and made into cellulose. Cellulose parts of this thread contract and crimp when Zirconium carbide the moisture level around it is low, curb- ing the breathability of fabric. If the moisture level is high, cellulose parts turn normal and lose the crimps, allowing the Hirai Katsuhiko, senior advisor, Toray Industries Inc., also serves as chairman, the Japan Committee, fabric to recover breathability. (Photo 4) Japan--China Business Forum, Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation).

26 JAPAN SPOTLIGHT • March / April 2007