Japanese shoppers are still investing in winter coats

Before moving to Niigata, I bought myself a good winter coat, knowing I'd need something warm and durable enough to handle the snowy winters out here. Several years later, it's still going strong and looks almost as good as the day I bought it. So perhaps Japanese shoppers are onto something when it comes to investing in quality outerwear.

A new survey by Japanese apparel company Sanyo Shokai suggests that despite rising prices, winter coats are still one item people are willing to spend a little more on.

The survey asked 623 men and women aged 20 to 69 about their clothing purchases and priorities for winter 2026. Around 77% said price increases were affecting how they shop for clothes, but coats and outerwear topped the list of fashion items they were prepared to spend more money on. Coats received 54.6% of responses, followed by shoes at 48.5% and bags at 31.6%.

A good winter coat can last many years (mine's running close to a decade now!)

The findings also suggested that shoppers are thinking beyond the latest trends. More than 82% said they wanted a coat with a timeless design, while 80.1% prioritized good quality and something they could wear for years. Price was still the biggest purchasing consideration, followed by design, warmth, and durability. Also, 65% said they would choose a Japanese-made coat over an overseas-made one if the prices were similar.