Appeal of Handbags

Appeal of Handbags
Manufacturing technique had evolved by being trained by consumers and dealers

Japanese women are perhaps the world's top bag lovers. They had bought famous brands' high-end bags for years by going so far as to borrow money or tighten the cost of living. However, things have changed lately. After entering into a recession, people started to question the real value of products, and gradually realize again the quality of Japanese products.

Japanese are brought up to believe that a trust relationship will be generated when you presume what your friend wants and provide more than s/he wanted. Therefore, retail stores ask manufacturers for higher quality than actually customers required.

Mr. Endo, the president of ENDO Co.,ltd., said, "Retail stores in Japan are very strict about quality control. They hate even a slightest defect or scratch on leather. Everything has to be perfect. Leather materials are carefully selected and cut so as not to cause any scratches." But the company also creates fashionable products utilizing natural wrinkles as characteristic features of leather.

Firmly processed and glazed reptile leather was previously popular but recently it is shifting to soft and matte leather. That would be because mature consumers are increasing, who can use high-quality products in casual way.

Various dyeing techniques also have improved along with diversity of fashion. For instance, python leather and crocodile leather get a unique texture of scales with a stereoscopic effect when dyes are wiped off from the surface after a double-dyed process.

Bovine leather is a material you can enjoy in multiple ways. "Aging" is one of them; it gets deep color and glossy texture by long-term use and care. Also, various embossing and coloring can change products to more trendy according to present fashion.

One of the charms Japanese product has is to offer a variety of goods you can enjoy for a long time.

ENDO handles licensed production of mainly handbags. It not only handles an integrated production from material selection to sewing for the client companies, but also proposes planning and designs of hot-selling products to retailers and wholesale dealers. Self-confidence and achievement cultivated by manufacturing salable goods in the mature Tokyo market developed the company's planning ability.

Tokyo has many leather wholesalers and tanners. It is possible to offer a quick response and small amount service by having materials manufacturers nearby. Also, being able to see actual products is a great advantage.

This year is the third time for ENDO to participate in APLF. Japan pavilion is set in the main venue this year, so the company expects more visitors to come.

Japanese animations and Manga are introduced to the world as "Cool Japan", and more and more children across the globe are growing up with Japanese Anime. Due to this trend, Japanese culture, which is quite unique in the world, gets more attention now. By considering this trend, ENDO exhibits wallets featuring traditional design at this APLF Hong Kong.

The traditional design being used this time, "Edo Komon", is a kind of designs for Kimono which was created to slip through the regulation when Edo Shogunate banned gorgeous designs to promote frugality. The pattern of the designs is so small that it looks like plain when seen from some distance. This is based on Japanese spirit of "putting effort into even the point of being invisible".

Mr.Toru Endo
President of ENDO CO., LTD
Japan Handbag Manufacturer Association

Appeal of Leather Goods
Reviving the Edo-period arts and crafts to the modern world

Senso-ji in Tokyo, one of the biggest tourist sites in Japan, has the history of 1,400 years. Also, more than 400 years has passed since Edo changed the name to Tokyo when becoming a capital city.

Many kinds of arts and crafts have existed in Tokyo since ancient times; for example, traditional metal works and lacquer wares which have been used at shrines and temples, or Japanese drums, fashion accessories such as Kanzashi (hairpins) and Obi-dome (pins for Kimono belt). One of those accessories, Netsuke, which is a clip used for hanging a small container from Obi (Kimono belt), are made of various materials like ivory, turtle shell and so on. And, "Inden", which is made of japanned deer skins, are still used as a wallet and a pouch now. Like this, many techniques of traditional arts and crafts have been passed on to the modern age.

Because of detailed work and artistic beauty, those Japanese crafts had been collected by art collectors in the world. Many of works were drained to overseas, but the traditional skills remained. Accessory manufacturers inheriting traditional skills are still in business around Asakusa area in Tokyo, and they are making crafts which meet a trend of a modern market. Some companies have been in business since Edo period.

The technique of "Inden" is now applied to the design of leather wallets and coin purses, and some other special skills are also applied to the metal piece and the edge finishing of modern products. Such traditional skills get more and more attention lately. Old technique comes back to life as a new sense by adjusting to the modern market.

Just like Ukiyoe influenced Art Nouveau, renewed Japanese traditional skills will be welcomed in the world market with a fresh image.

Men's wallets usually use sturdy materials like bovine leather, or cordovan, goatskin leather and bridle leather. By assembling these leather thinly and flatly, a wallet does not get bulky in your suit's pocket even if you put a lot of things in it. Women's wallets use softer leather like sheep skin leather or baby calf skin leather. And their form is roundish to add elegance.

We can now also find a product that has advantage of both men's and women's wallets.

It is said that the quality of leather products are determined by skiving. Skilled craftsmen skive leather by considering not only the thickness but the stiffness too. Soft parts need to be thicker and stiff parts need to be thinner. By doing this, the leather products can gain overall uniform texture, and keep stability even after using for a long time.

In small handy products like wallets, the users can easily find even a small defect such as a missing stitch.

The spirits and technique of traditional craftsmen who have been manufacturing detailed artworks are still alive in this modern world.

NOMURA SEISAKUSHO Co.,ltd., established in 1923 in Ueno, Tokyo, mainly manufactures OEM-based products. The company keeps samples which have been collected over several decades as a database, and the designers in client companies often use these samples for the inspiration of new products. Own brand "NOMURA" won "Best Leather Goods Collection", the highest award in the Wallet and Accessory category, at APLF in 2008.

The award-winning wallet, which featured the design of "Way of incense" for celebrating the anniversary of 1,000th birthday of "Tale of Genji", was highly evaluated as historical but new design.

The president, Mr. Nomura, hopes to spread to the world the appeal of Japanese leather products having a history of more than 400 years.

Mr. Toshikazu Nomura
President of NOMURA SEISAKUSHO CO., LTD
Japan Handbag Manufacturer Association

List of participants in Hong Kong APLF: Handbags / Leather Goods

Enhancing designing development ability with flexibility and sincerity
ENDO Co.,ltd (Leather Bags, Leather goods of Reptile skins and Cowhide)

ENDO has been respecting its concept "Material is an important part of design" since the company was established in 1949. ENDO develops materials according to designs, and designs products according to materials. The company keeps receiving a high evaluation as rather an ODM manufacturer than an OEM manufacturer.

ENDO started to deal in handbags of crocodile skin and ostrich skin in 1960. By adopting the skills of cowhide processing, the company developed innovative materials of "Oil Croco" and "Oil Python". The bags using these materials brought a new perspective to the leather industry that exclusively stuck with a formal style at the time.

The spirit of challenge of the company is inherited to the today's staff. The scope of product lines is growing wider, the company now deals with many materials from reptile skin to nylon. For APLF this year, ENDO created an extremely high-quality product featuring a dyed work of "Edo Komon" of Kazunari Hirose who is a licensed traditional craftsman, as another challenge to new material. "Edo Komon" is a name of pattern on Kimono that people wore in Edo period. ENDO created this exhibit by integrating technique of the company's sewing skill and leather processing. Please come and see ENDO's exquisite products.

Company name: ENDO Co.,ltd.
Address: 1-14-4 IMADO, TAITO-KU, TOKYO, 110-0024, JAPAN
CEO: TORU ENDO (Mr.)
Tel: +81-3-3875-1011
Fax: +81-3-3875-8827
Email: endo@tctv.ne.jp
URL: http://endotokyo.com/

Artistic leather goods with work of 'ultra-thin sweeping mount', 'cutting edge after fold', and 'edge polishing
KAWAHOUSHI HIROAN Co.,ltd. (Leather goods)

KAWAHOUSHI HIROAN is a men's leather goods manufacturer established in 1906. The company continues to use materials of water-based dyed calf, kipskin, goatskin from the grandfather's generation. Seeking for innovative technique while keeping traditions, it is a genuine craftsmen's company.

The company uses "Kirime (Finished for cutting, or Cut edge)" method on the finishing of the periphery for most of its products. "Kirime" is a finishing style of leather products whose edges are cut, and a polishing process called "Migaki" is applied to the cut end. "Hon-Migaki (Edge in rub)" is a process of polishing the cut ends by cloths, but this process is usually omitted in other factories since it needs a lot of work. "Beta-bari (Sweeping mount)" is to bond two leathers, each of which have different fiber directions, with the sweeping surfaces. It is regarded as a most luxury method because it gives flexibility and toughness to leather. Regarding specification of inside, it usually uses "Heri-kiri (Cutting edge after fold)" after "Heri-gaeshi (Bagged edge)" for cost saving. "Heri-kiri" is a method of making an edge width thin by cutting a surplus part of edge after folding.

KAWAHOUSHI HIROAN keeps a saying which came down from the first president: "Creation of tools is a power of excellent craftsman." An excellent craftsman is established with its perfect tools. With this saying in mind, all staff does their best work every day sharing the idea of "tradition-defending is continuous innovation".

The company aims to reduce outsourcing work to zero in the future so as to become a real manufacturer that handles every part of production. KAWAHOUSHI HIROAN is now working on a training of young craftsmen, hoping to be called "long-established company" in the future.

Company name: KAWAHOUSHI HIROAN Co.,ltd.
Address: 4-4-1 KURAMAE, TAITO-KU, TOKYO, 111-0051, JAPAN
CEO: HIROSHI HASEGAWA (Mr.)
Tel: +81-3-5833-7166
Fax: +81-3-5833-7106
Email: maroquinerie@hiroan.co.jp
URL: http://www.hiroan.co.jp/

A Bag brand of 'Handmade in TOKYO'
KIKUHIRO Co.,ltd. (Bags)

The founder of KIKUHIRO was a bag maker and a designer. He established the company in 1970 with an aspiration of making elegant and functional bags by his own hands.

The spirit of craftsmanship the company treasured has been handed down to the present. The craftsmen in KIKUHIRO are constantly pursuing a higher level of handmade skill where a machine production cannot reach.

KIKUHIRO won the award of the handbag category at Japan Leather Award 2008, and its products were exhibited in Louvre Museum in Paris, and also showcased in JAPAN QUALITY-LIFE PRODUCTS GALLERY held at Shanghai World Financial Center in 2009.

The company's main brand "Petrarca" debuted in autumn 2009 as "Factory bag brand" made in Tokyo. With its concept of "bags bringing feeling of luxury to people", the company makes its handmade products one by one with heart.

Company name: KIKUHIRO Co.,ltd.
Address: 1-21-2 HITOTSUYA, ADACHI-KU, TOKYO, 121-0075, JAPAN
CEO: KOTA KIKUCHI (Mr.)
TEL: +81-3-3859-3851
Fax: +81-3-3858-9356
Email: info@kikuhiro.com
URL: http://kikuhiro.com
Petrarca http://www.petrarca.jp/

Leather goods manufacturer with 50 years of business targets the world market
LA MODA YOSHIDA Co.,ltd. (Leather goods, Stationary, Interior goods)

LA MODA YOSHIDA is a leather goods manufacturing company. Since its launching in 1961, the company has been improving its technical and planning abilities for about 50 years. The company develops and produces purses, key cases, card cases and bags.

LA MODA YOSHIDA handles OEM products, and also planning and production of licensed brands.

Strength of the company is in its well-equipped system for continuous manufacturing in both know-how and facility. In addition to the knowledge of manufacturing, an ability to read the world trends and a sense of design that attracts more consumers are all necessary to meet customers' needs. That is the reason the company gathers a power from sales representatives and planning teams, domestic craftsmen and overseas factories' staff.

In 1987, LA MODA YOSHIDA started production in a factory in China. The company kept expanding its production scale, and it now became a Japan's major leather goods company with annual production of 1.5 million goods in 4,000 kinds. It will soon open a new factory in Quannan in China. Hoping to further expansion of production.

The company had dealt mainly with domestic customers in the past, now it is eyeing world markets. LA MODA YOSHIDA's spirit of "Japanese manufacturing" surely brings excellent leather goods to customers in the world.

Company name: LA MODA YOSHIDA Co.,ltd.
Address: 1-3-3 HIGASHI-UENO, TAITO-KU, TOKYO, 110-0015, JAPAN
CEO: MASAMITU YOSHIDA (Mr.)
Tel: +81-3-5816-1811
Fax: +81-3-5816-1823
Email: ueki@lmy.co.jp
URL: http://www.lmy.co.jp

In-house research & development team enable quick delivery of skilled craftsmen's products
NOMURA SEISAKUSHO Co.,ltd. (Leather goods, Stationary)

Since its establishment in 1923, NOMURA SEISAKUSHO has been producing exclusively leather purses and goods. Our knowledge of leather products covers most type of leather manufacturing. We are able to provide the most appropriate technique to each product and its concept when we handle OEM products.

We organize a task force composed of young staff and experienced workers for speedy product-development. The company built up the specialized sectors of each process such as cutting and skiving; it allows the company to accept small lot size orders from a unit of 60. NOMURA SEISAKUSHO has about 30 factories across the nation, and skilled craftsmen in these factories take charge of high-volume production. As for mass production, its subcontract factories in China and Vietnam conduct it. Now, the company established its capability of international business, including overseas procurement and a tripartite trade etc.

NOMURA SEISAKUSHO deals also in high-class materials such as crocodile skin, diamond python skin, lizard skin and so on. The company keeps improving its skills to upgrade the quality of products. "Japanese lacquer leather" is using the company's own original technique, and a purse featuring "Genji pattern" from this series will be displayed at this APLF.

At last year's APLF, the company received the best award at the goods category. NOMURA SEISAKUSHO keeps up good work to make delicate, hearty, long-loved products.

Company name: NOMURA SEISAKUSHO Co.,ltd.
Address: 1-28-10 HIGASHI-UENO, TAITO-KU, TOKYO, 110-0015, JAPAN
CEO: TOSHIKAZU NOMURA (Mr.)
Person in charge: HATSUYO NOMURA (Ms.)
Tel: +81-3-3837-2314
Fax: +81-3-3837-1438
Email: puaa-kaukau-48h@kfy.biglobe.ne.jp
URL: http://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~nomunomu-purse/

Many men, many minds. Many men, many colors
TAKAKOH Co.,ltd. (Bags)

We are a long-established women's bag manufacturing company having a history of 60 years. Our handbags and tote bags are made with carefully-screened materials and manufactured under a strict quality control.

TAKAKOH prepares multiple production lines for making various kinds of products in appropriate system for each; for example, small-lot leather bags are made in a domestic factory, leather woven bags are made in Vietnam, and a factory in China takes charge of quantity production.

We have done business as a planning and manufacturing company for a long time, now we established three own brands. "KABUKI" offers bags using quality materials and designed simply and casually with a Japanese motif. This brand never sells the same product repeatedly. Like Ninja, items appear and disappear quickly and unexpectedly. Colors and functions also change often so as to spearhead a fashion trend. On the one hand, "ZURRON" offers bags for lively women. In addition to functionality and usability, ZURRON's bags, in both casual and formal, have cute and feminine designs.

TAKAKOH's boutique is in Hiroo, a high-class residential area in Tokyo.

Company name: TAKAKOH Co.,ltd.
Address: 2-18-2 HIGASHI-NIHONBASHI, CHUO-KU, TOKYO, 103-0004, JAPAN
CEO: HARUO NAKAZAWA (Mr.)
Person in charge: EIJI IKEDA (Mr.) / MINORU ISHIKAWA (Mr.)
Tel: +81-3-3862-3161
Fax: +81-3-3864-6080
Email: Takakoh2@basil.ocn.ne.jp

With me, with you
WITH Co.,ltd. (Handbags, Bags, Leather goods, Stationary)

"With me, with you" is the origin of the company name and also the motto of all the staff in our company.

WITH's concept is to provide products like these; products that people can always be with together, products which make the best use of the good of materials, and products that are functional and high-quality, plus loved by everyone.

People select a bag by the suitability to their outfit, and a purse is an everyday-use item. So, we create products which are longwearing with designs that you will never get tired of, and also able to be a part of your fashion.

WITH had mainly handled OEM products for domestic apparel companies.

From the long OEM experience, the company gained both techniques and know-how in production such as materials procurement, high-level sewing skill, a quick-delivery system, and an advanced quality-inspection system. By fully utilizing this manufacturing capability, WITH offers various kinds of goods of "Factory Brand WITH".

This is the first time WITH participates in Hong Kong APLF. We look forward to showcasing our lovable products of "Factory Brand WITH".

Company name: WITH Co.,ltd.
Address:
HEAD OFFICE: 5-3-35 YOSHI-CHO, SOKA-SHI, SAITAMA, 340-0017, JAPAN
SALES BRANCH: 5-15-5 INARI, SOKA-SHI, SAITAMA, 340-0003, JAPAN
CEO: JUNICHIRO TAKESHITA (Mr.)
Department in charge: MANUFACTURING DEPARTMENT
Person in charge: SATORU AKAZAWA (MR.)
Tel: +81-48-930-1866
Fax: +81-48-930-1951
Email: wiz@gol.com
URL: http://www2.gol.com/users/wiz/

Aiming to create a respectable product
YAMAMAN Co.,ltd. (Bags, Leather goods)

YAMAMAN (YMMN) is a leather goods manufacturer making purses, bags, stationeries.

Proper tanning and dyeing techniques according to a kind and age of the animals are necessary to process natural leather into leather material. As some say "leather is a living material", even a small factor like weather influences the condition of finished products. YMMN fully utilizes experienced craftsmen's skills and senses for manufacturing of leathers having a great variety of characteristic.

By matching leather and subsidiary materials with the most appropriate technique, YMMN creates the best products. Japanese craftsmen's high-level techniques are applied to many products; such as an "edge-finishing process" that requires advanced skills, and a special sewing-technique in a purse making etc.

YMMN is always working with customer satisfaction in mind, and trying to provide quality-centered delicate products.

The company also offers rare products like a leather shoehorn and a case of a Kleenex box. YMMN hopes to develop wider variety of products as much as possible in the future.

Company name: YAMAMAN Co.,ltd.
Address: 7-18-21 Shinozaki, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo, 133-0061, Japan
CEO: HARUHIKO YAMADA (Mr.)
Person in charge: FANNY, CHAN SIU CHING (Ms.)
Tel: +81-3-5664-3680
Fax: +81-3-5664-3690
Email: fanny@ymmn.jp
URL: http://www.ymmn.jp