Hyungji Elite (093240.KQ) is expanding into Japan's sportswear and corporate uniform markets after entering the country's school uniform business. The company is also reviewing product development using functional materials through cooperation with Japanese textile firms.
Hyungji Elite said on the 25th that Choi Byung-oh, chairman of Fashion Group Hyungji and of the Korea Federation of Textile Industries, recently met with Akihiro Nikkaku, chairman of Toray Industries, and other Japanese textile industry figures in Seoul's Yeouido district to discuss cooperation between the two countries' textile and fashion industries.
Nikkaku also serves as chairman of the Japan Textile Federation. The meeting covered ways to combine advanced textile material technology from Japanese companies with the design and product planning capabilities of Korean fashion firms. School uniforms, sportswear and corporate uniforms made with functional materials were cited as the main areas for cooperation.
Hyungji Elite built a local business base in Japan this year through a series of school uniform supply contracts. In January, it signed a contract with Kyoto International Junior and Senior High School to supply casual uniforms designed for ease of movement and comfort. Kyoto International High School won the Japanese National High School Baseball Championship, known as Koshien, in 2024.
In June, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with OK Financial Group to supply student uniforms and clothing marking the 80th anniversary of Osaka Kongo International School. Building on that, Hyungji Elite plans to expand its client base among Japanese private schools and educational institutions and to broaden its product lineup to include casual school wear and gym clothes.
The company is also pursuing a sportswear business. Hyungji Elite is exploring opportunities in the Japanese sports market by drawing on its experience producing fan apparel and merchandise in partnership with domestic professional baseball clubs. In corporate uniforms and workwear, it is reviewing product development that incorporates Japanese functional material technology.
Hyungji Elite has expanded its student uniform business in China since establishing Shanghai Elite, a joint venture with a local Chinese company, in 2016. The company plans to apply the product planning and supply experience it accumulated in China to the Japanese market.
"Our supply agreements with Kyoto International Junior and Senior High School and Osaka Kongo International School have laid the groundwork for entering Japan's student uniform market," an official at Hyungji Elite said. "Using this exchange between the Korean and Japanese textile industries as a starting point, we plan to deepen our understanding of the local market and our partnerships there, and expand our business into areas such as sportswear and corporate uniforms."