Uniqlo enjoying booming sales of winter clothing — in tropical Manila

Japanese clothing chain Uniqlo is a popular brand in the Philippines, particularly in the capital. This year, the Uniqlo shops in the city are selling a wider range of winter items — down jackets, woolly scarves and other items occupy the best locations in the shops — just beside the entrance, for example. Why is winter clothing so popular in a subtropical nation where the average temperature is 26-27 C all year round? According to Fast Retailing, the operator of the Uniqlo chain, locals here are increasingly buying these items for travelling to colder locations abroad, including Japan. A shopping mall in Manila (Image: Nikkei) This is the fifth winter here for the Japanese brand since the operator opened its first Uniqlo outlet in the Philippines in 2012. Its ultralight down jacket carries a price tag of 3,490 pesos ($70.22) — a “luxury” range for Manilans, who earn on average...

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Japanese clothing chain Uniqlo is a popular brand in the Philippines, particularly in the capital. This year, the Uniqlo shops in the city are selling a wider range of winter items — down jackets, woolly scarves and other items occupy the best locations in the shops — just beside the entrance, for example.

Why is winter clothing so popular in a subtropical nation where the average temperature is 26-27 C all year round? According to Fast Retailing, the operator of the Uniqlo chain, locals here are increasingly buying these items for travelling to colder locations abroad, including Japan.

A shopping mall in Manila
A shopping mall in Manila (Image: Nikkei)

This is the fifth winter here for the Japanese brand since the operator opened its first Uniqlo outlet in the Philippines in 2012. Its ultralight down jacket carries a price tag of 3,490 pesos ($70.22) — a “luxury” range for Manilans, who earn on average around $7,200 a year. Nevertheless, there is definitely demand, said a company representative.

According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, some 270,000 Filipinos visited Japan in 2015, a 46% jump from the previous year. This year, the number has already reached 280,000, and is expected to exceed 300,000 by December. Their typical route includes Asakusa, a traditional district in Tokyo, Tokyo Disneyland, the Hakone spa resort near Tokyo, and Mount Fuji. Average cost for a four-night stay is around $1,800.

In luring even more Philippine tourists to Japan, however, the visa requirement is still a hurdle. The Japanese government has effectively removed the requirement for Philippine travelers arriving on packaged tours. But those coming to Japan individually for a short stay still need to obtain a visa. Japanese short-stay visitors to the Philippines do not need a visa.

More relaxed rules would help attract more visitors to Japan, and Uniqlo will be able to sell more down jackets in the Southeast Asian country.

Source and image: Nikkei
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