In the hectic Japanese wash-and-go laundry market there is a drycleaner that offers service in stead of speed……..your shirt will be back in three weeks!
If people have a coffee stain on their favourite silk dress, or an ink print on a custom jacket, they go to Yoichiro Teramae. He owns a drycleaner shop in the Japanese city of Fukui. He has been in this business for 30 years and has witnessed changes in the types of clothing that consumers buy. With the rise of fast fashion, people began to wear cheaper clothes and care for clothing diminished. Teramae: “We witnessed that buyers of quality clothing would ask retailers if they knew any reliable dry cleaners who they can trust with their favourite and expensive clothes”.
The store opened in April this year, but is already flourishing and attracts a variety of customers. From young girls wearing Moncler jackets and fine cashmere sweaters, to older men with custom-made suits. Teramae states that it is not easy to break the rules. “More than 90% of people will choose fast fashion, we may not be able to turn around this market trend, but no matter how many customers we have, we will never lower the quality of service”.