--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: THE ART OF GOOD MANUFACTURING image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # THE ART OF GOOD MANUFACTURING Accounting for more than 20% of national GDP, Japan’s manufacturing sector remains integral to the country’s history, economic strength and global business appeal. While much attention centers on “hard” industries such as automobiles and electronics, an equally vital part of this ecosystem is made up of smaller, dynamic firms working in fashion, lifestyle goods and other creative fields. From pioneering eco-friendly materials to reimagining traditional craftsmanship for modern markets, we hear how Japanese companies are building on a long-standing legacy of producing high-quality, world-class goods. **KONNEKT International Inc.,** Developer of IP content in the fashion sector. Founder and CEO Hiroaki Yu: “The Japanese mindset of mottainai, valuing resources and minimizing waste, contrasts sharply with the mass-production culture in other countries. I believe that this, combined with craftsmanship and on-demand production systems, can have a meaningful impact on global society.” **KVK Corporation,** Top safety equipment and clothing. President Masayuki Suematsu: “Our staff go directly to factories to consult with workers and understand their day-to-day needs. From there, we make suggestions and work closely with clients to provide the most suitable solutions.”  **Cross Plus Inc.** **Producer of wide-ranging apparel.** President Hironori Yamamoto: “We value the kinds of materials that go into our clothes, making use of organic cotton and recycled polyester. The usage of the garment is also very important to consider; clothes have good durability, reducing the need for waste overall.”  **Eminento Co., Ltd.** **Nagasaki-based trouser specialist.** President Keisuke Takano: “We are continuously innovating the materials we use for our products, introducing eco-materials made from recycled plastic bottles. This reflects our commitment to sustainability.”  **Fujigen Inc.** **Renowned producer of top-end** **musical instruments.** President Fumiaki Yokouchi: “Every single member of staff in our factory is an artisan, which translates to the high quality of our finished guitars.” THE ART OF GOOD MANUFACTURING ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-art-of-good-manufacturing/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-art-of-good-manufacturing/"},"headline":"THE ART OF GOOD MANUFACTURING","datePublished":"2026-06-18T14:28:14.651Z","dateModified":"2026-06-09T07:28:02.530Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-art-of-good-manufacturing/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-art-of-good-manufacturing/","name":"THE ART OF GOOD MANUFACTURING"}}]}] ```