1. Here, we will take a look at sewn textile curtains, not including cloth and materials.
   
   
2. During the days of the Roman Empire, cloth was used to decorate walls and divide rooms. Cloth was put on windows starting in the Renaissance period. Until then, there had been little need for cloth to decorate the windows since they were mainly stained glass.
   The thick, heavy, decorative curtains used during the reign of Louis the 14th in France were similar to what we know as curtains today. It was supposedly in the 19th century that people first began combining thick drapes with thin lace curtains.
   
   
3. Curtains first appeared in Japan during the Edo period in the foreign government buildings at Dejima in Nagasaki.
   
   
4. Curtains are generally hung on the inside of a window to maintain privacy, adjust incoming sunlight, and keep out noise, heat, and cold. But curtains not only serve a practical purpose�E;< they play an important decorative role in balancing the colors in a room and in offsetting the cold plainness of the window glass and walls. They can also be used as blinds or entrance door curtains, and thus they serve a purpose similar to that of Japanese tobari(hangings), noren(shop entrance curtains) and sudare (bamboo blinds). Materials for curtains include calico, poplin, printed cotton, velvet, damask, brocade, lace, silk gauze, nylon, and synthetic fiber.
   
   
5. Lifestyles and housing differ between Japan, Europe, and North America. While western homes, with their high ceilings, have many vertically rectangular windows, the comparatively low-ceiling Japanese homes tend to favor horizontally rectangular windows. Subsequently, curtains differ in design and in the way they are hung. Privacy is foremost in Japan, so people want curtains that keep noise out and that also prevent the inside of the home from being seen from outside. Apartments, which have no storm windows, need curtains to block out sunlight. Compared to North America and Europe, most of Japan is very humid. It is thus convenient to have specially- coated, machine-washable curtains. While North America and Europe put decorative qualities first, Japan emphasizes the functions and features of the curtain material.
   
   
6. The following shows curtain imports in recent years.

   1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
   1,108	1,517	2,688	5,458	7,142	5,898

   (Units�Fmillions of yen)

   b Imports saw healthy growth until the peak in 1996, after which the recession and a weak yen caused a drop in 1997. There are several reasons why imports grew up until 1996�F(1) A strongr yen had been driving down the price of imports�G(2) High-end imported curtains were in vogue�E;> (3) Japanese homes were becoming more westernized, and this boosted demand for imports�G(4) There had been a steady increase in the number of people building new homes and renovating and expanding existing homes.

7. There are no official statistics on Japanese domestic curtain production. This is because the category of"curtains" is rather vague, and includes ready-made curtains and curtain material. Estimates put imports at about 10% of the industry total.

   China	2,022	(34.3%)
   Korea	796	(13.5%)
   Taiwan	608	(10.3%)
   Philippines	531	(9.0%)
   Thailand	374	(6.3%)
   India	326	(5.5%)
   Germany	211	(3.6%)
   U.S.A.	196	(3.3%)
   England	190	(3.2%)
   Indonesia	183	(3.1%)
   Others	461	(7.9%)
   Total	5,898	(100.0%)

   (Units�Fmillions of yen)

   As you can see from the table, countries are divided into the Asian region, Germany, England, and the U.S.A. Curtains from Asian countries are generally low-priced and manufactured in high-volume�Fthese include curtains produced by Japanese manufacturers on consignment and products made for supermarkets and curtain specialty stores.
   Curtains from the U.S.A., England, and Germany are mainly high-end and luxury products. Recently, consumers have been buying more lower-priced goods, thus boosting imports from Asian countries while hurting imports from the U.S.A. and Europe.

8. Meanwhile, Japanese curtain exports were a mere 370 million yen in 1997.
   Exports went to the following countries.

   Taiwan	186	(50.3%)
   China	93	(25.1%)
   Hong Kong	27	(7.3%)
   Marianas	13	(3.5%)
   France	9	(2.4%)
   Others	42	(11.4%)
   Total	370	(100.0%)

   (Units�Fmillions of yen)

   Going down the list after France, the most exports went to the U.S.A., Singapore, Thailand, Korea, and Indonesia, in that order.

9. While there are no legal restrictions at the time of import, products must label the material contents of the goods by Household Goods Quality Labeling Law. As well, fire regulations state that curtains used in buildings that are open to the general public must be flame proof. Products not labeled as flame proof cannot be sold or displayed. To have curtains certified as flame proof, you must submit an application for preliminary inspection to the Japan Fire Retardant Association. After the preliminary inspection is completed, you will receive a notice of the certification, which must be submitted to the fire station in the area in which you reside.
   
   
10. In general, Europe and the U.S.A. export high-end products, Japanese companies make medium to high-end products, and the Asian countries export lower-priced products.
    
    
11. Regarding distribution routes for curtain imports, large domestic companies buy products directly from overseas manufacturers or they buy through an import company. There are numerous other distribution routes�Fdepartment stores and large retail chains like supermarkets, as well as specialty stores, import directly�Gimport companies sell directly to retail outlets and consumers�E; and foreign manufacturers set up sales companies in Japan and sell directly to retail outlets.
    
    
12. In choosing curtains, consumers must go to a showroom and see the quality and volume and the overall pattern, since they cannot do this with material sample books. It is also important to choose the color you like, since colors can appear slightly different under different types of light�E: natural, incandescent or fluorescent light. It is also good to coordinate curtains with the color of the walls and floors. One must pay attention to washing instructions for imported curtains, as well as watch for sewing defects and crocking.

Figures courtesy of The Japan Trade Monthly.