Denver labor bulletin., 1917-08-04
READY-MADE
CLOTHING FOR JAPAN

The department of commerce, bu-
reau of foreign and domestic COM
merce, Washington, states that the
rapid adoption of western dress in
Japan has made \ qpon one of the
most promising markets in the world
for European and American makers of
wearing apparel, especially ready
made clothing, but according to re-
port just issued by the bureau of for
eign and domestic commerce, depart
ment of commerce, the American man.
ufacturers have not been getting their
share of the business.
The report estimates that at least
one in every four or five male japanese
is now wearing Western clothing. This
means from 1900. 900 TO 5000, 900 per.
sons, and the number is rapidly in
creasing. 1t is evident therefore that
there is large market for foreign
style clothes, wherever made-in Jap
an, England, Germany and America.
1t is also evident that this market is
rapidly increasing. At the time the
war started at least two countries
Germany and England-were manag-
ing to supply Japan with large
amount of ready-to-wear clothing.
They We're doing this at prices gen
orally much in excess of the Japanese
made products and selling them in the
keenest competition with the Japan
ese articles, because of the superior
quality of material or the workman
ship, or both.
According to the author of the re-
port, Special Agent Stanhope Sans,
the Japanese like 10 dress well and in
as strict conformity as possible with
the best prevailing fashions, whether
in their native or in adopted foreign
costume. They are not economical in
the sense that they will wear old or
inferior clothes They wish always to
make n neat or 'natty" appearance,
with good lines in their coats and trou
sers, and they especially like the for
mer well cut and with somewhat mil
itary look. In no other country, says
the report, will the young men or the
business men of standing spend more
in proportion to their income for the
purpose of making a smart appear
ance.
It has been said that the better class
of American wearing apparel cannot
be sold in Japan because of the low
priced labor available for Japanese
makers of clothing, but once having
adopted foreign dress the Japanese,
true to his instinct for neatness and
smartness, wishes to wear only the
correct style, even If II costs more than
the same clothing made by native or
Chinese tailor. This is shown by the
fact that in most of the better-class
tailoring shops point is made of hav-
ing the cutting at least done by an
English or American tailor.
There is no more striking evidence
of the growth of foreign influence in
Japan than that furnished by the
shifting of the national costume.
Every day sees some change in this
respect. Pictures of street scenes in
Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka taken
few years ago present very different
aspect of Japanese street life from
that revealed by pictures taken today
in the same thorofares. In the crowd
eo hours of the day the streets Of these
cities present quite Western aspect.
II one goes into the banking houses or
into the larger commercial and mer-
camille establishments or into any OF
the government offices, every employe
will be found clothed in Western garb.
It has ceased to be a question Of ma
tional sentiment-as many sought to
make it some years ago-and has be-
come necessity or sort Of uniform