Processing on commission base is a common method, however, as satisfactory materials cannot be obtained easily in the regions concerned and so materials are sent from Japan to be turned into complete products to send back to Japan. Some Japanese makers export gloves produced in these areas from there to Europe and the United States. There are some sales in the country of production, although levels are still low. Vietnam is expected to become a future center for production. The people involved in glove production overseas are mostly young and quick to learn, and so there is very little difference in quality between gloves made in Japan and those made overseas.
Japanese makers provide some technical guidance, and high- quality gloves are made.
Prices in Japan have fallen by half due to large imports of these cheap, high-quality gloves, making production in Japan almost impossible. An excess supply of imports led to excessive competition, and the price of gloves fell rapidly. Planning and developing new products, making samples for plants overseas, warehousing and marketing have come to make up the business activities of Japanese glove makers. Domestic production is limited to rapid production of many models in small quantities. Japanese glove makers now have to rely on imports.