Taiwan acacia is traditionally used as firewood, but Taiwan’s king of carton packaging, Caho Chen, and a team of innovative young people have developed methods to turn this neglected endemic hardwood into pricey bathtubs, customized guitars, and novel whiskey barrels. How did they transform this once-cheap commodity into a sought-after luxury material? By Kuo-chen Lu…
The growing market for larger vessels and the emergence of domestic demand offer hope for the industry. Taiwan has long been an important producer of yachts and sailboats, though it is only recently that recreational boating has finally begun to catch on. One in every three new yachts sold in the United States between 1977…
Taiwan’s rising emphasis on high-quality lifestyle has spurred a wave of new homegrown brands offering everything from premium accommodations to inventive cuisine. Taiwan ranked as Asia’s third-happiest country behind Singapore and Thailand in a report released in March by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Overall, Taiwan came in 35th in…
The rising preference for foreign cars is boosting overall industry sales but presenting increased challenges for local automakers. Due to the depreciation of the yen and euro, imported vehicles have become more price competitive, and now account for a 37% market share. Luxury brands have been doing particularly well. While auto sales this year are…
Taiwan needs to reinvent itself, and one potential solution is to develop a luxury goods market that is the envy of the region. This is part of a 6-part feature story on luxury goods in Taiwan: Aiming to be Asia’s Luxury Shopping Destination From Bags to Riches The Jewelry in Taiwan’s Crown Luxury Watches: More…
Liuligongfang is one of the very few Taiwan companies with the necessary cultural heft to become a luxury brand. It is little wonder that Taiwan, as a relatively recent arrival to the international high-end consumption market, does not really have a major luxury brand to call its own. Few countries do, in fact. According to…
Why settle for less when you can have more, appears to be the Gloria Hotel Group’s business model as it expands its footprint. One of the reasons why Taiwan is more a business-class rather than first-class destination for luxury goods is that apart from buying things, there is little else for international men or women…
If you thought luxury timepieces have had their day, think again. The watch you wear says a lot about you. There was a time when Taiwan was famed for producing fake Rolex watches. They were so good it was hard to tell them apart from the real thing – though being sold in a night…
Precious metals and gems are even more valuable if presented in an elegant design that has artistic and emotional appeal. A surefire hedge against low interest rates, inflation, or economic meltdowns, precious metals and stones have never gone out of fashion as a form of investment. While the customer may pay a premium for a…
The story of Ever Rich Duty Free Shop Corp. Chairman Simon Chiang neatly encapsulates the changing fortunes of Taiwan’s luxury goods market, particularly when it comes to bags and leather goods. Born to a poor, farming family in the South, the young Chiang was sent off to Taipei by his mother to learn a craft,…
