The past week, Uniqlo’s first store in western Canada has opened and it was a major success. During their opening day, the line up to enter the store extended across the whole mall. I was awed in how many people were willing to line up for hours just to be the first ones to enter the store. I wondered what does Uniqlo do that has caused people to value the store to such a large extent. Also, how has Uniqlo expanded to become a global brand.

Image Sourced From: http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/uniqlo-vancouver-metrotown-opening-day-crowds-photos

First off, why is Uniqlo so popular? The reason for this may be because the uniqueness of their clothing line and the quality of their materials. As on their website, their slogan is “Life Wear”[1]. From this we can see that the clothes Uniqlo designs is more of casual everyday wear that can target a large consumer population. They also have clothes for a wide range of ages: babies, toddlers, women and men. By having a variety of clothes for different ages that can be worn on a daily basis, people are willing to line up for hours to be the firsts to get their hands on the clothes they need. However, having a versatile clothing line is not the only thing that makes Uniqlo such a successful clothing company.

Image Sourced From: https://younichefashion.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/danny-brown-x-uniqlo-us/uniqlo-lifewear-logo/

In addition to the quality clothes Uniqlo produces, their company name has a lot of value. For companies, it is not only based on the product they are selling. A large part of consumers wanting to purchase an item is because of the reputation of the company. If a company exploits its’ employees or is not environmentally conscious, consumers will not be attracted to the company.  The reason for this is because the company will be viewed as a cold-hearted money machine without caring about the harm they may cause. However, companies such as Uniqlo have gained the respect of consumers by being socially responsible of the effect they have on people and the environment. For example, Uniqlo, in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Uniqlo Recycle “has delivered 20.3 million clothing items to refugees, evacuees, victims of disaster, expectant and nursing mothers and others in need around the world since 2007. [2]”

Uniqlo provides unique style of clothing that are casual and comfortable at an affordable price; perfect for everyday wear. Also, by being a company that not only looks at the profitable side of a business, but what they can do to help others; people are willing to support Uniqlo and their product. That is why Uniqlo’s brand is valued at seven billion dollars and recognized as the 91st most valued brand in 2016 according to Forbes [2].

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[1] http://www.uniqlo.com/ca/en/

[2] http://fortune.com/2017/10/12/uniqlo-clothing-global/