Wearing a mask became the first "torture" this summer? Can a cool mask really "cool companion"?

　　"I hope that all the daily chemical companies with cool products will free up a production line to make cool masks! The child can't bear it!"

　　With the increasing temperature, the pain of wearing a mask to go out skyrocketed, and even netizens jokingly called "the first torture this summer", many people began to expect the mask to "cool down." Soon, some businesses are eyeing this outlet.

The picture shows children playing in the fountain. China News Agency reporter Han Haidan

UNIQLO "True Fragrance", layout "Summer Mask"

　　According to the Japanese "Nikkei News" report, a few days ago, the head of Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo (UNIQLO) parent company Fast Retailing Company said in an interview that he will be involved in the mask business this summer. The main selling point of this "Summer Special" mask is to solve the sultry when wearing a mask in summer.

　　How to do it? According to the "Japan Times" report, Uniqlo's big offer this time is its exclusive material-AIRism. As the leading material of Uniqlo, AIRism was previously used in Uniqlo underwear series products. It has four main characteristics: quick-drying, breathable, cool, and deodorant-this is indeed what everyone wants to wear a mask in summer.

　　In the official flagship store of Uniqlo, there are more than 100 kinds of AIRism series products currently on sale, and various monthly sales are more than 10,000. One of the most popular is a sun protection clothing, sales ranked third in the entire flagship store. It is not difficult to see that this material can be called UNIQLO's "summer role".

　　In terms of price, the price of the AIRism series of products sold is between 39 yuan and 199 yuan. According to Japanese media reports, the price of Uniqlo masks is undecided, which is expected to be around 1,000 yen, equivalent to 66 yuan. This price has also attracted many netizens to be too expensive.

　　Uniqlo's move to a face mask is also full of "true fragrance" reversal colors. At the financial report in April, in the face of the epidemic, Yanai Masao still insisted: "Compared with masks, we will make contributions through clothing."

　　At the same time, according to the Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK), Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on the 25th that from the 25th, the state of emergency in the four capital counties including Tokyo and Hokkaido will be lifted, which also marks the national emergency in Japan It's all over.

On May 25 local time, people wearing masks cross the street in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

　　The Fast Retailing Group said that although the declaration of emergency situations in various regions of Japan has been lifted one after another, as a preventive measure, consumers still have a great demand for masks. Facing the positive domestic situation in Japan, Uniqlo is not hesitant to "face" and enter the mask market.

　　However, netizens with sharp eyes found the key to the problem: I wear a mask to prevent viruses. Breathable mask? What am I still doing with it ...

　　In terms of the protective performance of masks, Uniqlo did not disclose more. Whether this cloth mask can bring surprises and make consumers "true fragrance", we will wait and see.

From "clothing" to "hood", the garment industry has become the main force

　　Under the epidemic situation, the wind of cross-border production masks prevailed. Some people joked that you simply don't know what the old man of a mask factory is now.

　　The apparel industry, which also belongs to the textile industry, with its existing production experience and sufficient manpower, has lower entry barriers and relatively difficult production line transformation, which has become an important force in this cross-border.

　　From Prada, Chanel, LV, Dior and other high-end fashion brands, to fast-fashion brands Gap, Zara, H & M, some of the production capacity has been invested in the production of masks.

　　On May 12, the leisure brand Shanghai Metersbonwe Apparel Co., Ltd. (Mebon Apparel) issued an announcement saying that due to business development needs, the company plans to add "daily masks (non-medical)" to the original business scope. range. Affected by this news, the United States and the United States clothing opened daily limit.

　　But in fact, the American clothing has fallen into crisis in 2019. The 2019 annual report shows that the company's operating income was 5.463 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 28.84%; its net profit plunged 2145.2%, and it lost 825 million yuan. In addition, Meibang Clothing suffered a loss of 219 million yuan in the first quarter of 2020.

　　Prior to this, another casual brand in my country, Sime Apparel, also announced on March 5 that the company will add sales of "daily masks (non-medical)" to its original business scope.

　　Sema's life is not easy. The annual report shows that its net profit in 2019 decreased by 8.52% year-on-year. In the first quarter of 2020, the company's net profit was 17.48 million yuan, a decrease of 94.96% over the same period of the previous year.

　　There has always been a saying in the stock market that "performance is not enough". The concept of masks seems to have become a life-saving straw for these unsatisfactory companies. It has also caused many industry insiders to worry: a large number of listed textile companies are involved in masks and other fields. It is not ruled out that part of them is to rub hot spots or take advantage of opportunities to increase stock prices.

The picture shows the transformation of a textile enterprise in Liuzhou, Guangxi to make a mask. Lin Xinshe

　　"Using the mask as an opportunity triggered some of our thinking." Zong Huichun, Dong Mi, Dongma's clothing secretary, publicly denied the "hot spot" claim, saying that increasing the mask business is based on the company's long-term development considerations: "If we really want to Rubbing hot spots, you can spend 10 to 20 million to invest in two production lines, there are also factories, can be produced within a month or two. "

　　Zong Huichun also said that making masks is not a specialty of Senma clothing, nor is it the best. However, Senma clothing has a wide range of channels, which can make it easier for ordinary people to buy masks.

After the epidemic, where will the excess capacity go?

　　On January 25th, 8 million pieces; on February 29th, 116 million pieces ... In only 35 days, the daily output of Chinese masks increased by about 13.5 times.

　　From March 1st to April 4th, 3.86 billion pieces; from April 5th to April 30th, 23.94 billion pieces ... In just two months, China ’s export inspection masks reached 27.8 billion pieces, which is about the same as last year. Three times the total output of masks.

　　my country's masks can quickly shift from the scarcity to abundance, and a large number of enterprises can make a timely contribution to the production. Under the influence of the epidemic, many apparel companies have suspended their operations and faced huge operating pressures. Changing masks is a win-win move to respond to the national call and maintain the operation of enterprises.

　　As the "one brother" of my country's casual apparel industry, the trend frontline parent company Soute also invested a large amount of 200 million yuan in the production of masks during the epidemic. However, due to the high investment in the early stage and the delay in the increase in production capacity, after the production capacity was raised, the golden period for making money was missed. Searching for special money did not make a profit but caused a huge loss. It suffered a loss of 74.03 million yuan in the first quarter of 2020.

　　Sou Yute's failure also sounded the alarm for the conversion companies. Many people worried that after the epidemic passed, the conversion companies might face the crisis of overcapacity.

　　In February, many enterprises worried that expansion of production might bring about overcapacity. Relevant policies at the time suggested that after the epidemic, the government will collect and store the surplus production, and enterprises that meet the standards can use full horsepower to produce.

　　Recently, the National Health and Health Commission and other three departments issued the "Public Health Prevention and Treatment Capacity Building Program" mentioned that to ensure that medical institutions reserve qualified quality and sufficient quantities of medical masks, isolation gowns, eye masks and other protective equipment, generally no less than 10 days. After the instruction to reserve masks is issued, there will be a huge pulling effect on the demand and production of masks.

　　However, there are still people in the industry who believe that the epidemic is a special emergency turntable for society. The market demand in this state is still temporary, and speculation is very dangerous. Whether or not to switch to a mask must be based on its own actual situation and make full use of the original resources in order to give full play to its own advantages.

　　The hot summer is approaching, and the UNIQLO rushed to counter the cool mask in the late episode is a strain. For many apparel companies, retreating from the whole body or long-term development is a more difficult choice question than whether to enter the game.

　　Author: Yu-kun left