- Carpeting is a general term for carpets, rugs and other floor coverings made from felt, woven material or pieces of cloth. There are various kinds of carpets which can be classified according to the method of production.
| PILE CARPETS |
CONSTRUCTION |
MAIN PRODUCING COUNTRIES |
| (a) Woven carpets |
|
|
| (i)Handwoven carpet (Persian/Oriental carpets) |
(yarn/yarn) |
(China, Iran, Vietnam) |
| (ii) Machine-woven carpets |
|
|
| Wilton (single) |
(yarn/yarn) |
(Belgium, India) |
| Double face carpet |
(yarn/yarn) |
|
| Axminster |
(yarn/yarn) |
|
|
|
|
| (b) Embroidered carpets |
|
|
| (i) Tufted carpet |
(yarn/backing cloth) |
(USA, South Korea,Korea,Taiwan,Belgium,Thailand,Germany) |
| (ii) Hooked rug |
(yarn/backing cloth) |
|
|
|
|
| (c) Adhesive carpets |
|
|
| (i) Bonded carpet |
(fiber/adhesive/backing cloth) |
|
| (ii) Electrodeposit carpet |
(fiber/adhesive/backing cloth) |
|
| (iii) Cord carpet |
(fiber/adhesive/backing cloth) |
|
|
|
|
| (d) Knitted carpets |
|
|
| (i) Knitted carpet |
(yarn/yarn) |
|
| (ii) Russell carpet |
(yarn/yarn) |
|
|
|
|
| (e) Compressed carpets |
|
|
| (i) Needle punch carpet |
(fiber/backing cloth) (hairtone/velourtone)
|
|
|
|
|
| NON-PILE CARPETS |
CONSTRUCTION |
MAIN PRODUCING COUNTRIES |
| (a) Woven carpets |
|
|
| (i) Mikasa weaving |
(yarn/yarn) |
|
| (ii) Kikusui weaving |
(yarn/yarn) |
|
| (iii)Plain weaving |
(yarn/yarn) |
|
| (iv) Flower mat |
(yarn/rush) |
|
|
|
|
| (b) Sewn carpets |
|
|
| (i) Tube mat |
(yarn) |
|
| (ii) Braided mat |
(yarn/cloth pieces) |
|
|
|
|
| (c) Compressed carpets |
|
|
| (i) Needle punch carpet |
(felttone) (fiber/backing cloth) |
|
| (ii) Felt carpet |
(fiber) |
|
- Carpets can also be categorized by use:
(A) Residential use (living rooms, kitchens, entrance halls, verandas, etc.)
(B) Commercial use (offices, public offices, schools, art galleries, theaters, hospitals,old people's homes, churches,
hotels, restaurants, banks, department stores, supermarkets, retail stores, etc.)
(C) Transport (railway carriages, cars, buses, ships, aircraft, etc.)
(D) Indoor/outdoor sports (sports grounds, baseball stadium, golf courses,tennis courts, pool side, fitness clubs, etc.)
- Total output in Japan in recent years has been as follows:
|
WILTON CARPET
|
TUFTED CARPET
|
HOOKED RUG
|
TOTAL |
% OF PREVIOUS YEAR
|
| 1992 |
2,624 |
92,465 |
1,267 |
96,356 |
96.8 |
| 1993 |
2,222 |
85,117 |
949 |
88,288 |
91.6 |
| 1994 |
1,909 |
87,343 |
678 |
89,930 |
101.9 |
| 1995 |
1,704 |
97,003 |
594 |
99,301 |
110.4 |
| 1996 |
1,796 |
99,259 |
553 |
101,608 |
102.3 |
(Unit:1,000m2)
- Exports of carpets in recent years have been as follows:
|
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
| Hooked rug |
3 |
1 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
| Tube mat |
327 |
151 |
46.0 |
0.0 |
- |
| Plain fabric |
542 |
310 |
147.0 |
86.0 |
58.0 |
| Misc. rugs |
37 |
31 |
12.0 |
4.0 |
|
| Wilton carpet |
18 |
7 |
4.0 |
1.3 |
4.0 |
| Tufted carpet |
1,911 |
888 |
502.0 |
221.0 |
289.0 |
| Needle punch |
253 |
217 |
84.0 |
42.0 |
129.0 |
| Tile carpet |
384 |
386 |
325.0 |
233.0 |
372.0 |
| Misc. carpet |
694 |
616 |
305.0 |
215.0 |
118.0 |
| Total |
4,169 |
2,607 |
1,425.5 |
820.9 |
974.0 |
(% of previous year)
|
(85.4) |
(62.5) |
(54.7) |
(57.6) |
(118.8) |
(Unit: 1,000m2)
Exports in 1996 by destination were as follows:
|
QUANTITY |
VALUE |
| Hong Kong |
24.2% |
20.4% |
South Korea
|
22.9% |
25.9% |
| Taiwan |
16.9% |
15.9% |
| Singapore |
10.5% |
19.2% |
| Others |
25.5% |
18.6% |
Most exports were to Asia, and exports to the United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which were formerly most important, decreased yearly until they ceased altogether.
- Imports of carpets and rugs in recent years have been as follows:
|
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
| Persian/Oriental |
1,457 |
2,078 |
2,548 |
1,924 |
1,761 |
| Tufted/hooked |
10,582 |
10,730 |
13,058 |
15,323 |
19,057 |
| Others carpets |
11,161 |
13,408 |
20,855 |
22,436 |
20,210 |
(of which tufted tile carpet)
|
(1,371) |
(1,142) |
(1,040) |
(1,381) |
(1,465) |
| TOTAL |
23,200 |
26,216 |
36,461 |
39,683 |
41,028 |
| (% of previous year) |
(110.5) |
(113.0) |
(139.1) |
(108.8) |
(103.4) |
(Unit: 1,000m2)
Sources of imports by country in 1996 were as follows:
|
QUANTITY |
VALUE |
| Belgium |
21.9% |
14.6% |
| USA |
15.1% |
13.1% |
| Thailand |
14.3% |
4.9% |
| India |
13.2% |
5.6% |
| China |
9.5% |
25.1% |
South Korea
|
3.4% |
3.0% |
| Iran |
0.6% |
8.6% |
| Others |
22.0% |
25.1% |
The figures show that expensive Oriental and Persian rugs are imported from China and Iran whilst cheap ones are imported from Thailand and India. Egypt has copied Belgium and produces cheap machine-woven carpet, and Vietnam has imitated China by producing cotton rugs as a cottage industry.
- Carpets and rugs are being used more extensively due to increasing flooring with the westernization of Japanese housing, and domestic production is increasing, but the appreciation of the yen and steep rise in labor costs have led to a fall in exports, and there has been a large rise in imports. Imports approximately doubled in the five years between 1991 and 1995. Chinese and Persian carpets are growing in popularity due to the preference of consumers for authentic and luxury goods. Wilton carpets imported mainly from Belgium are popular due to their fine designs, color quality and attractive price. Carpets and rugs simply laid on the floor continue to be more common than fitted carpeting in Japan, and it is common for carpet to be laid on top of tatami mats. Higher income groups use carpets more frequently, and warmth appears to be largely irrelevant. Carpeting is used to create an appropriate mood and atmosphere.
- Carpeting is normally distributed from makers through primary and secondary wholesalers to retailers, but recently distribution from makers through one wholesaler to upholsterers is becoming an increasingly common route. There are also some instances of department stores importing rugs directly.
- As carpeting can still be made cheaply in Japan using efficient machinery, hardly any makers have expanded overseas. However, woven and plain fabric carpets are entirely imported due to soaring labor costs.
- Electric carpets (hot carpets) pose the greatest threat to carpets. After peaking at 3,011,754 units in 1991, production has since fallen a little to 2,605,764 units in 1996.
- The main factors affecting popularity are (1) price, (2) design and (3) quality, and only a few expensive carpets are now sold following the collapse of the bubble economy.
- Regulating the sale of carpets is the Household Articles Quality Labeling Law, which requires that information such as the name and address of the distributor be clearly displayed on merchandise. The fire laws require that merchandise be approved by the Fire Prevention Association, and upholsterers must obtain an "Upholstery Industry License".
- Due to the fear that goods may smell or shrink when washed or that the color may come out, makers take out Product Liability insurance, but there have been no major problems to date. Just in case, carpet instruction manuals and leaflets are attached or inserted into carpets.
- The market will expand in the future as the amount of carpeting used in Japan is less than half that used in United States and EU. However, it is likely that prices will fall without much increase in production, and the quantity of imports will increase even further. The key is to make products which suit the Japanese market and the preferences of the Japanese. Demand for carpeting for use when remodeling interiors is likely to increase. The prospects of growth in demand for business, educational and sports facilities are good, and there will be a need in the future for cleaning services.
Source: All figures from "Japan Trade Monthly" (Ministry of Finance).
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