While the global expansion of Japan's textile industry is often cited as a challenge, there is one fabric manufacturer whose exports, primarily to Europe and the United States, account for half of its sales: denim fabric manufacturer Kuroki (Ibara City, Okayama Prefecture). Kuroki, which produces everything from dyeing to finishing in-house, has consistently exhibited at the Paris fabric exhibition "Première Vision" since 2004. As a result, it supplies denim fabric to numerous European and American luxury brands, including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Prada. Osaka's Midosuji Boulevard is lined with luxury shops, but Kuroki's President, Tatsushi Kuroki, says, "There are almost no brands there that don't purchase our denim." Kaihara and Kuroki are the only domestic factories that produce denim from start to finish. Denim fabric is produced through the following processes: spinning, rope dyeing, weaving, and finishing. Kaihara produces everything in-house, from spinning to finishing, while Kuroki produces everything in-house, from rope dyeing. For this reason, planning staff from Western brands regularly visit Kuroki's headquarters and factory for tours. Denim, while generally referred to as "denim," encompasses a variety of weaving techniques beyond the standard twill weave made with rope-dyed indigo yarn. While nearby Yoshikawa Textile specializes in jacquard weaving with indigo yarn, Kuroki excels in dobby weaving. Recently, they developed a new quilted-style dobby-woven denim. They use this fabric to produce sample shirts and pants, which are then washed with a gradient wash. While the washing process is outsourced to a nearby partner factory, the gradient wash is entirely under Kuroki's direction. "In addition to developing and manufacturing the fabric, we also create product samples and wash them before proposing them to apparel companies. Unless we go to that extent, modern apparel designers won't understand," says President Kuroki. Kuroki's efforts, which have earned high praise from top Western brands, could be of great value to other domestic manufacturers.
