Japan : Fast Retailing opens new denim innovation centre in US

Home / Knowledge / News / Textiles / Fast Retailing opens new denim innovation centre in US

Fast Retailing opens new denim innovation centre in US

22
Nov '16

Fast Retailing, a public Japanese retail holding company, has established a new denim innovation centre, the Group's first facility to focus on research and development of denim fabric, in Los Angeles, California, that aims to bring together specialists in jeans development from premium denim brand J Brand and other Fast Retailing Group companies.

The centre will develop jeans utilising innovative technologies and materials, based on the established tradition of jeans. The first project for the facility will be research on jeans for UNIQLO and J Brand. Products for both brands developed at the centre will be available from the fall winter 2017 season.

By establishing the denim innovation centre in Los Angeles, the global hub for information on denim, Fast Retailing will be able to quickly incorporate the essence of current trends in its designs. Focusing on the “3Fs” (Fabric, Fit, and Finish), the key elements in making jeans, the centre will develop fabrics with the world's leading fabric makers, as well as conduct R&D on the latest production technologies, to make jeans that look exceptional and are comfortable to wear.

Fast Retailing has previously outsourced the production of samples and other operations to external manufacturers, but with the denim innovation centre, the company will now be able to manage the entire process in-house. Using the latest equipment, the centre will be able to quickly create and evaluate sample products, considerably enhancing the speed and quality of product development.

The centre can also be used by contracted producers as a research centre, which will increase the integrity of the finished product during actual production. In addition, the facility will focus on environmentally friendly processing and production methods, conducting R&D on chemicals and techniques used for fading and distressing of jeans.

The innovation centre provides a structure for optimal fabric development and selection based on the type of jeans. Through cooperation with such world-leading fabric manufacturers, UNIQLO will offer jeans of the highest quality material to people throughout the world.

The centre is equipped with the world's most advanced denim processing technologies. The centre has gathered together specialists in jeans development from around the world, who conduct repeated tests within the centre to create authentic jeans for UNIQLO on a par with premium denim. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

More FAST RETAILING CO LTD News... More Textiles News - Japan...