IZAWA TOWEL Co., a towel manufacturer in Japan, has formed a business alliance with WestPoint Group, a global company that acquired linen manufacturer Vision Support Services Ltd. in 2020. The three companies aim to further strengthen their product development capabilities by taking advantage of the know-how of the three companies, while achieving cost reductions by globalizing production and distribution through global expansion.
Towels commonly used in Japan are more expensive to manufacture per weight than towels commonly used in Europe and the United States. The main reasons for this are Japan's unique small-lot production system, inefficient specifications, and excessive production loss rates.
The three companies have already started conducting market research on a global scale and have begun planning specifications. Compared with bath towels of the average specification which are now widely used in Japan, it is expected that the cost can be drastically reduced by 20% to more than 30% by the same weight, which will bring about a drastic change in the cost system of the towel industry. By establishing a global network, the three companies will promote the industry's first globally standardized towel in the global market. The company plans to introduce new global standards this summer. Through the tie-up, the three companies are expected to build big data such as data collection and analysis for the global towel market and promote various advanced technologies including sustainable production.