OFFLINE, a Taiwanese brand for which FOLBOT acts as the import agent.
While still not widely recognized in Japan, it has already garnered attention from camping enthusiasts in Taiwan as a leading table brand.
Here, we will introduce everything from our encounter with OFFLINE to the appeal of its products.
Our encounter with OFFLINE dates back to October 2023.
It was at the "TAIWAN OUTDOOR SHOW" event held in Taipei.
The TAIWAN OUTDOOR SHOW is an event where many companies exhibit, from national brands related to outdoor activities such as camping and cars, to Taiwanese garage brands.
It's like a Taiwanese version of FIELDSTYLE.
The FOLBOT team attended this event to research the Taiwanese market.
There, the OFFLINE table system caught our eye.
As we were intently examining the exhibition samples, President Bruce introduced the brand and its products to us.
Originally, the company had been producing trekking poles and bicycle parts for over 30 years, and OFFLINE was launched, making full use of that technology.
He also told us that it was the brand's debut day and that we were the first Japanese people to be introduced to OFFLINE.
We introduced ourselves, mentioning that we also operate an outdoor brand called FOLBOT in Japan. We parted ways that day with the thought of working together if an opportunity arose.
Two months later, we unexpectedly met again when they informed us that they would be coming to Japan for a cycle event and wanted to meet again for a detailed product introduction.
We were able to examine samples in detail that we couldn't scrutinize in Taiwan, and once again, we were amazed by the high quality and thoughtful design.
What set it apart from other brands, we felt, was its minimalist, uncluttered, yet functional design, and above all, its incredibly compact size.
Our desire to introduce OFFLINE to the discerning Japanese outdoor scene,
and
Their desire to take on the challenge of the more mature Japanese market compared to Taiwan,
converged here.
And, as luck would have it,
FOLBOT ended up supporting their sales in Japan.
Writing about our encounter took quite a while...
I'll write about the main appeal of OFFLINE in the next article.
