Forerunners in Kyoto's Industries/Industrial Forerunners in Kyoto Kyoto City Research and Development Facility for Dyeing and Weaving The Nishijin Textile Trade Association established the Nishijin Textile and Dyeing Research and Development Facility in 1908 as a way to provide technological assistance for promoting and exporting its textiles. At first, the Nishijin weavers experimented with several machines producing thin ribbon-like pieces and researched processing techniques. However, in 1912, fine textile machines with the capacity to weave delicate taffeta and crepe were purchased from France and a dyeing and weaving factory was built. In 1911, in the aftermath of the Japan-Germany Commerce Treaty , the customs on importing dyes and the price of dyes sharply increased causing a switch to using darker colored dyes. Faced with the rise in production costs, the Nishijin textile manufacturers used the research and development facility to examine and challenge the high costs of dyes. In 1916, the facility was transferred to the supervision of the city and within ten months, it was opened under the name "Kyoto City Research and Development Facility for Dyeing and Weaving." From 1918, the facility developed successfully and in 1922, it was formally recognized as an official research and development establishment. BACK