UNIQLO, a Japan-based apparel retailer known for its high-tech “LifeWear” attire and values of “simplicity, quality, and longevity,” is opening its first stores in Texas this fall and winter—including three in Dallas-Fort Worth.

The openings are part of the company’s “ambitious” plan to to reach 200 stores in North America by 2027, including additional West Coast locations slated for this year.

Locally, new UNIQLO stores will be opening at Galleria Dallas, The Parks Mall at Arlington, and Stonebriar Centre in Frisco. Two other Texas locations will be opening in Houston’s Memorial City Mall and Sugar Land’s First Colony Mall.

Founded in Hiroshima as “Unique Clothing Warehouse” in 1984, UNIQLO opened its first U.S. location in 2005, introducing Americans to its “simple, high-quality, everyday clothing, thoughtfully crafted with life’s needs in mind” and its goal to be “constantly evolving to fit modern life.” Today the brand has more than 2,400 stores worldwide, including 74 in North America

Thanks to UNIQLO’s e-commerce sales—and Texans shopping at its stores in New York and beyond—there’s already a built-in base for the brand here. In fact, UNIQLO e-commerce sales in Texas is “ranked third after those in New York and California,” according to the Houston Chronicle.

“We’re thrilled to be coming to Texas, a state where we have seen positive customer demand and where UNIQLO LifeWear products can perfectly serve the needs of the various lifestyles and climates throughout Houston and Dallas,” UNIQLO USA CEO Yoshihide Shindo said in a statement. 

Innovations from warming HeatTech to cooling “AIRism”

UNIQLO says it offers “universal designs, supreme fit, and comfort,” but another value core to the brand is innovation. Among its offerings:

• HeatTech, a high-tech fabric that transforms moisture into heat, providing insulation without adding bulk to your look
• AIRism, a technology based on “cooling,” breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics to keep hot days at bay
• BLOCKTECH, a windproof coating that keeps breezes from blowing you away while still offering breathability
• Ultra Light Down jackets with slim profiles; though they feel almost weightless, they still manage to keep you warm in winter chill

Technology is teeming behind the scenes, as well. Last spring, the Wall Street Journal said Uniqlo’s parent company, Fast Retailing, is “betting big on tiny RFID chips.” According to CIO Takahiro Tambara, next-gen self-checkout machines powered by the radio technology is part of the boost to the company’s supply chain improvement efforts.

Collaborating with Meghan Markle’s wedding dress designer

Collaborations are another UNIQLO thing. The brand’s new label Uniqlo C with Clare Waight Keller—who designed Meghan Markle’s wedding dress in 2018—made its debut late last year, featuring 30 “attitude dressing” pieces. It’s one of the biggest splashes for the designer since she left Givenchy in 2020—and C stands for more than Clare. “The letter C captured a lot of things that I was talking about: people commuting living in the city, the face that there’s a real clarity to the palette and this idea of casual, but also a sort of cheekiness,” Waight Keller told Vogue Magazine.

Sustainability that fits

UNIQLO is also innovative in its sustainable approaches to casualwear. Its Recycled Down Jacket is made from “reclaimed down and feathers” sourced by the company’s RE.UNIQLO sustainability program. The DRY-EX Polo Shirt is made from recycled PET bottles and offers quick-dry capability. UNIQLO’s “Good Wool” products are made from “ultra-fine” merino wool that’s been shaved off “responsibly raised sheep” while following water- and energy-saving manufacturing procedures.

$4 million being spent on Galleria Dallas store

According to state filings, UNIQLO’s Galleria Dallas store is slated to have an estimated renovation cost of just over $4 million. The store will cover nearly 20,000 square feet. Ohio-based Shremshock Architects are listed as the location’s designers.

Meanwhile, over at The Parks Mall at Arlington, state filings show it to have a renovation cost of $1.9 million, with 12,490 square feet of retail space. Shremshock Architects are designing that space makeover, too.

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