Japanese Denim, Gets Better with Time
We took the time-tested craft of Okayama denim and built it for everyday movement, from climbing and biking to commuting through the city.
Japanese denim is highly regarded as some of the best denim you can own. From the indigo dyeing and fabric weight to the shuttle looms and yarn, it’s made to age better than almost any other kind of denim. For a country that didn’t invent denim—the fabric originated in France in the 1600s—you can’t say that Japan isn’t one of the most obsessed with the fabric and getting it right.
Denim in Japan goes back to the 17th–19th centuries in Okayama during the Edo period, when cotton was one of the most common crops in the region. The area became known throughout the country for making sanada-himo cords, a sturdy woven cotton used to wrap sword handles, as well as cotton sandals and mats. Traditional Japanese indigo dyeing practices, known as aizome, can be traced back to the 1600s in the Okayama region, when the natural dyeing process was prized for the ability to make fabric more durable.
From workwear to world-famous
Okayama was also known for producing school uniforms and workwear. Post-WWII, as Western-style clothing became more prevalent in Japan, Maruo Clothing, which would go on to become Big John, is credited with making the first authentic pair of Japanese jeans in the 1960s. The company created styles that appealed more to Japanese customers rather than simply importing American denim. As the area continued to evolve, the Kojima district of Okayama became a hub for denim manufacturing. Today, it’s home to traditional shuttle-loom mills, dye houses, finishing studios, and many other denim-making companies.
All that history brings us to our current Japanese denim offering for our Fall-Winter collection. We’ve made a Denim Trucker Jacket and a 5-Pocket Denim Pant out of a slubby 12-ounce, 100-percent cotton denim, with a suede patch on the back of both pieces. The fabric was produced throughout the denim capital of Okayama Prefecture, specifically in the Kojima-Kurashiki area. The jacket is our nod to workwear, while the pants still have that webbed belt you’re used to seeing in all of our other pants, with a straight fit throughout the leg.
Both styles are available in true black and indigo rinse—and will only look better the more you wear and wash them, like most Japanese denim. After the clothes are made, they’re garment-washed to create a lived-in look while giving the denim a softer hand feel.
What makes our Japanese denim special are the techniques that made the original jeans so sought-after in the ’60s. Our yarn has been indigo- and sulfur-dyed and ring-spun in Japan. The fabric is woven and finished entirely in Japan, giving you all those whiskering fades and roping around the bottom hems as you wear them.
While denim is rooted in workwear, we’ve approached it the way we would our pants and outerwear: made to move and sturdy enough for everyday wear. Japanese denim is all about time-tested craft and the history behind the material, and we’ve manipulated the fabric to suit people on the go, whether that’s climbing, biking, or just commuting through the city.
Japanese Denim Trucker
$200
Our denim jacket can be thrown on with any other piece in our collection. It’s that versatile. From the vintage nods, like the corduroy collar and zipper pocket, to the adjustable wrists, it’s a no-brainer. Layer it with a hoodie or throw it under a vest when the weather gets too cold. Gramicci Pants, Gadget Pants, and even a Canadian tuxedo with the matching denim pants will look right at home.
Japanese 5-Pocket Denim Pant
$170
Our straight-fitting jeans make it easy to forget about a belt, since ours already has one built in. The fit throughout the entire leg works with trail shoes and derbies, while the leg opening is even wide enough to wear over boots. Wear these with a thermal, mohair cardigan, and down jacket, and you’re good to go.
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