Military (2)
Seung-hyun stared intently at the weaving program on his computer screen, lost in thought.
He couldn’t just make something at random, not when it had to match the Urban Explorer concept from the WindRover proposal Hanil Global had sent over.
“Waterproof and windproof are givens... it also needs breathability and stretch... and a city-bred sort of sophistication...”
Seung-hyun let out a quiet sigh.
Dual-Tex was an excellent fabric, but it had its limits when it came to outdoor wear.
In particular, it wasn’t suited to use as an outer shell for outdoor gear that needed to withstand impact, heavy rain, and strong wind.
He needed a different approach.
After a moment, he thought of the equipment he had used during his military service.
Then the research materials he had recently reviewed for military uniform supply drifted through his mind.
“Could I try Cordura?”
Seung-hyun sprang up from his seat, pulled a fabric reference volume from the bookshelf, and flipped through the pages at speed.
At last, he found the page describing Cordura in detail.
Cordura: a high-strength nylon fabric with tensile strength three times that of ordinary nylon and ten times that of cotton. It had excellent durability and abrasion resistance, and because it could be coated for water resistance, it was widely used in outdoor and military equipment.
Seung-hyun’s eyes flashed.
Cordura was a material used in military gear and premium outdoor products, and its durability and functionality had already been proven.
“Right, if I use this...”
The shape of it began to emerge.
If he built a blended fabric around Cordura, he might be able to satisfy the Urban Explorer concept while still meeting the demands of outdoor use.
He immediately began simulating blended fabric compositions based on Cordura in the fabric design program.
“For the outer shell, I can use Cordura’s durability and water resistance, and for the lining...”
There, too, he ran into trouble again.
The lining needed stretch for mobility and comfort, and while there were fabrics already in existence that could do that, he wanted something with a stronger identity.
It wasn’t even a fabric for Haesol Textile’s own use, but the more it sold through licensing and kept generating steady revenue, the more it would benefit Haesol Textile.
He had no intention of making it carelessly.
Seung-hyun tried a number of combinations, but finding the perfect lining material was not easy.
In the end, he decided to make a sample of the Cordura blend first.
When he checked the clock, it was already three in the morning.
Seung-hyun left a note on Factory Manager Park Han-soo’s desk asking him to procure Cordura yarn, then turned off the office lights and stepped outside.
Beyond the window, the Seoul night skyline was glittering, and his head was full of anticipation for the new fabric.
*
First Supply Depot, Army Logistics Command, Cheongju.
Inside the spacious warehouse, the new uniforms supplied by Haesol Textile were being organized.
Among the stacked boxes, military personnel were carefully inspecting them one by one.
“These are the new uniforms that just came in? I heard they were supposed to be something special.”
The lieutenant in charge of the supply depot said this as he opened one of the boxes and took out a uniform to examine it.
He raised his brows at the unfamiliar feel of the fabric.
“Is this really a combat uniform? The texture’s completely different. Where’s the supply officer?”
“He’s on his way now, sir.”
A sergeant reported as he approached.
The lieutenant nodded, then carried the uniform he had taken from the box outside.
“As of today, we’re switching to the new combat uniforms. Check your sizes and submit replacement requests quickly if you need to change.”
After the lieutenant finished explaining, the new uniforms were distributed to the soldiers.
Back in their barracks, the soldiers changed into the new uniforms and marveled at the softness they had never before felt in military clothing.
“Corporal Kim, this is incredibly light!”
“Move it, already. Wear it now. If you get the size wrong and have to exchange it later, the supply officer’s going to tear into you.”
“It’s soft, but somehow it also feels cool, sir.”
Exclamations of amazement burst out from every direction.
They spun their arms, sat down and stood up, and even broke into light runs to test the comfort of the new uniform.
In particular, Sergeant Park, who had two months left until discharge, asked Private Yun, who had come back from the administrative office after working there in the new combat uniform, “When did you change and come back to work?”
“Ah, the personnel chief was looking for me. But wearing this, it’s weirdly warm even in front of the air conditioner.”
“Really? It’s not that thick.”
“It’s amazing.”
“Damn... I should’ve had to run winter training in this thing... and now that I’m about to get discharged, this shows up. It was so fucking cold and uncomfortable before...”
The classmate standing beside him, Sergeant Kim, laughed and said, “We were freezing our asses off, weren’t we?”
And so the soldiers were thoroughly satisfied with the new combat uniforms, while the officers were equally impressed, saying they couldn’t believe something so light and good could actually be military issue.
There were even officers who marveled that, for once, they had received proper military supplies.
And between the officers and the enlisted men, word quietly spread that the company behind the new combat uniforms was the same company that operated the brand Lesser Factory in the private market.
*
A few days later, Haesol Textile headquarters.
Seung-hyun sat across from Executive Director Han Se-gyeol of Hanil Global in a conference room.
Spread across the table were materials concerning Lesser Factory’s entry into the Japanese market.
“President Jung, we found a suitable site in Tokyo.”
Executive Director Han handed over a tablet and spoke.
On the screen were photos of a commercial district near Shibuya, Tokyo, along with information on the proposed store site.
“The location is good, and the lease terms aren’t bad. In particular, this area has a heavy flow of young customers, so it’s the ideal place for a brand like Lesser Factory.”
Seung-hyun examined the materials carefully.
The location and conditions certainly looked promising.
“When are you thinking of moving ahead?”
At Seung-hyun’s question, Executive Director Han straightened his back and answered cautiously.
“That’s the issue. I believe Lesser Factory’s price and quality competitiveness will definitely work in Japan. Honestly, I think it would be worth trying even if we launched right now. But entering overseas markets on that kind of vague expectation is still a risky decision.”
“That’s true.”
“The local Hanil Global office in Japan will, of course, do as much marketing as possible. But export business, by nature, tends to get the strongest response when a brand has already been recognized domestically and then uses that recognition as a springboard overseas.”
There was more packed into the phrase recognized domestically than met the ear.
It didn’t mean they shouldn’t export; it meant something else was needed.
“Could you tell me what kind of factor you’re considering?”
“Lesser Factory is growing well and generating a substantial amount of revenue, but surprisingly, the foundation of that revenue is word of mouth. A brand that grows through young consumers spreading the word is very encouraging.”
“Thank you.”
“From a financial and growth standpoint, that’s excellent. But when you go overseas, what should I call it... some kind of impact? Or perhaps the edge that designers in this industry talk about? You’re missing that.”
Seung-hyun caught on to what he was really saying.
“You mean the brand image is weak.”
“Exactly. To domestic consumers, Lesser Factory is clearly a brand that sells cheap, good, and even stylish clothes, but it isn’t widely known. There are no Lesser Factory ads running anywhere right now.”
He was right. Lesser Factory did not spend much on advertising.
They did run online and social media ads now that the budget had increased somewhat, but compared with other brands, it was close to negligible.
That was why sales through the official online store had reached a kind of plateau.
It was the sort of brand only the people who knew, knew.
“Hmm... so?”
“I think the time has come for star marketing at Lesser Factory as well. Even if we don’t use a celebrity directly, we need domestic consumers to know what the brand Lesser Factory is.”
“Haha, that would make things get a lot bigger.”
“You don’t need to worry too much. It feels difficult because you haven’t done it before. Fashion advertising is seventy percent of the game.”
“I know that.”
“If you’re worried about how to advertise it, I can introduce someone to help.”
After a moment’s thought, Seung-hyun answered, “Yes, then please introduce me.”
There were only two major fashion companies in Korea; how many advertising firms could Hanil Global possibly know?
Rather than waste energy comparing and researching every agency himself, it seemed better to put that energy elsewhere.
“Understood. I’ll have an advertising agency contact Haesol Textile. By the way, do you already have any models in mind?”
“Not really. None worth mentioning.”
“Understood. I’ll relay that as well. While we coordinate this, I’ll also work with the local office in Japan to set a launch date.”
“Yes, understood.”
As the meeting ended and Executive Director Han rose to leave, his expression had softened considerably when he asked, “How’s the WindRover project coming along? Do you think something’s going to come out of it?”
He’d only handed the job over recently, and already the strain was showing.
“It’s hard to say anything concrete yet. But Hanil Global is a big company and you have a research lab, so hasn’t something come out yet?”
“Haha, it isn’t easy. If we use fabrics that already exist, everyone else uses them too, so marketing becomes difficult, and outdoor sales aren’t what they used to be either. Without a clear advantage, the brand falls behind. But a functional fabric that can lead the market doesn’t just appear out of nowhere, so... frankly, we think President Jung is the impressive one. Bedding, Art Fabric, Dual-Tex... how many new things have you already made?”
“I’ve just been lucky.”
“We’d appreciate it if you could lend us a little of that luck this time.”
“Of course. I’ll do my best.”
With a bitter smile, Executive Director Han left the company, and Seung-hyun remained in the office, staring at the monitor.
The fabric was still in development.
Once he established a definite framework, it would reveal an optimal composition, just as Dual-Tex had when it was finished.
Until then, he had to push his imagination to the limit.
Knock, knock.
Then there was a knock at the door.
“Yes?”
“President, Ms. Lee A-young is here.”
“Yes. Please tell her to come in.”
The door opened, and A-young appeared carrying a bundle wrapped up in several bags. She set it down with a soft thump on the sofa table and gave a small, bashful smile.
“Haha, hello.”
“Yes. What’s this?”
“I’d been working on a new design concept before, and once the fully developed Dual-Tex fabric came out, I made samples with it.”
She placed the tablet from her crossbody bag beside the Dual-Tex fabric sample and said, “I came up with a new concept using the Dual-Tex fabric you finished, President. I called it Essential Moments... heehee, it’s a little embarrassing, but that’s the name I gave it.”
Seung-hyun looked at the design on the tablet with interest.
The page showed clothing designs with refined lines.
They featured simple yet sophisticated silhouettes and minimalist details.
“It’s a concept for the special moments of everyday life. On the way to work, on a date, meeting friends... the idea is that it fits every one of those moments perfectly while adding a touch of specialness.”
A-young picked up the samples and continued her explanation with growing enthusiasm.
When Seung-hyun picked up one of them and touched it, the figures surfaced.
Durability = 88.2%
Weaving Precision = 95.1%
Comfort = A-Grade
Product Value = 94.9%
Remarkable numbers appeared.
“The fully developed Dual-Tex fabric is truly amazing. It’s soft, yet resilient, and it doesn’t wrinkle easily. I used those qualities to design clothes that stay comfortable and neat all day long.”
She rummaged through the pile of clothes, matching them against the tablet as she showed off a variety of designs.
Women’s blouses, men’s shirts, slacks, dresses... all of them were simple, yet carried a distinctly special feeling.
“In particular, I took advantage of the fabric’s natural drape effect and designed them so they feel light on the body without any strain. They work for formal settings, but also for comfortable everyday wear.”
At first glance, it looked no different from a pile of clothes stacked up like a street market stall in Dongmyo, but once each piece was picked up and examined closely, admiration rose for the simple, elegant design.
“This is a really good concept, A-young. Essential Moments... clothes for the special moments of everyday life...”
The trump card for the Japanese market had been completed.
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