The fabric of our lives MAEDA Co., Ltd.
Website: MAEDA Co., Ltd.
Category: Japanese Apparel & Textiles
Making the textiles that make up the clothes we love
High Quality Textiles from Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
The textile industry is such a vital part of modern existence that we tend to take it for granted. The fabrics used in the clothes we wear, our household linens and on upholstered surfaces are almost ubiquitous. But not all textiles are created equally and despite the industry being largely automated and modern, great skill and human ingenuity is required to set high quality fabrics apart from the reams of low quality, mass produced fabrics that flood the market. Maeda Co., Ltd., based in Ishikawa Prefecture has been a part of Japan’s silk and textiles industry since 1930 and has been producing textiles since 1958.
Decades of experience
Finley produced synthetic textiles based on decades of silk production
They originally produced quality silks and natural fabrics for kimono makers and bedding, but over the years, have diversified their lineup to include modern synthetic fibres. The Maeda group consists of the head office in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture with production facilities in Ishikawa and Fukui Prefectures. They employ state of the art production equipment operated by skilled technicians, who ensure that the fabrics they produce are of the highest quality possible. While this quality does come at a bit costly price than many of their competitors, Maeda’s customers in Japan, as well as abroad, appreciate that age old truism, “You get what you pay for”
While they still produce silks, cottons and a selection of other natural fabrics of the highest quality, their product portfolio’s biggest sellers are synthetics like nylon and polyester as well as hybrids of natural and synthetic fabrics. Their apparel range of fabrics run the gamut from lining fabrics to formal suit materials, targeting customers that create everything from casual wear to haute couture. Their home textile fabrics are used for everything from curtains and upholstery to towels and bedding.
Bringing Japanese quality to the world
Maeda also collaborates with foreign designers to create unique textile designs and products
The Maeda group is currently looking to international markets for further expansion, leveraging their fine quality as their greatest asset. They are looking to form partnerships with fashion brands who seek the best quality fabric for their designs. They are also developing new combinations of fabrics for high performance sportswear. Additionally, they also produce a selection of their curtain and home textiles with the cooperation of manufacturers in China that are capable of producing fabrics that meet Maeda’s strict quality requirements.
Built on customer satisfaction
Key to their current and future successes is their strong adherence to their business philosophy that places customer satisfaction at the top of their priority list. Not just the customers who use their textiles to create products but the people who buy those products as well. Maeda wants people to feel happy knowing that the products they own that are made using Maeda’s fabrics are made for quality, not for turning a quick profit. To ensure they continue to provide fabrics to the market that meet it’s ever changing needs, Maeda engages in extensive research and development of new and innovative fabric blends and production techniques. They also form strong ties with the producers who use their fabrics to ensure that by supplying them with the best, they in turn will provide the end customer with the best possible product.
With the importance of textiles and the need to manufacture them only set to increase, Maeda Co., Ltd. and the Maeda Group have a potentially bright future ahead of them as with the increased need for quantity, an increase in demand for quality fabrics will place them at the forefront to supply that demand.
Website: MAEDA Co., Ltd.
(Courtesy: JETRO)
JETRO, or the Japan External Trade Organization, is a government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. Originally established in 1958 to promote Japanese exports abroad, JETRO’s core focus in the 21st century has shifted toward promoting foreign direct investment into Japan and helping small to medium size Japanese firms maximize their global export potential.