Production Systems in the Knit Garment Industry with a Central Focus on Tokyo

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  • 東京を中心とするニット製衣服産業の生産システム
  • トウキョウ オ チュウシン ト スル ニットセイ イフク サンギョウ ノ セイサン システム

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<p>    This study focused on the knit garment industry in Tokyo as a fashion sector. The structure of linkages between knitted garment manufacturers and their trade partners was analyzed. The aim was to identify the role of industrial agglomeration in metropolitan areas based on an understanding of the industryʼs overall spatial production system, which has now expanded across national borders. <BR>    The results of the study showed that, although the industry has undergone geographical decentralization caused by technical innovation such as the progress of remote communication tools, its dependency on face-to-face contact based on locational proximity has been maintained. This is evidenced by the following findings: 1) Knitted garment manufacturers are more than just subcontractors to their customers: they also play a role in assisting customer product development processes such as fashion design and material selection/production. These manufacturers also share tacit knowledge through face-to-face communication with their customers and material brokers. 2) Knitted garment manufacturers demand quick access to a variety of partial processors within the agglomeration area because the industry requires various types of processing and a quick delivery system for small-lot items and semi-finished products. <BR>    The distance of Tokyo operators from branch plants or subcontractors in non-metropolitan areas of Japan or overseas is partially mitigated by e-mail, telephone, and other means of communication. Additionally, when normal orders are placed, mutual understanding based on a history of business relations and direct contact allows for smooth communication. To build such mutual understanding with overseas factories, close attention must be paid to linguistic environments, local practices, and labor conditions due to the culture and distance barriers involved. <BR>    The study results thus indicated that knitted garment manufacturers play a significant role in reducing transaction costs in the worldwide division of labor. It therefore became clear that despite a weakening of industrial agglomeration in Tokyo with regard to the manufacturing function in terms of mass production, the industry has continued to play an important role for manufacturing systems through design assistance, low-volume and quick-delivery production, and the organization of production even in the face of intensifying inter-regional and international competition.</p>

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