“Japanese denim” refers to those Japan-made jeans made by Japanese artisans. It is of a unique and particularly high quality. Japan’s producers supply some of the world most exclusive jeans brands.

Japanese denim is mostly Selvedge denim which is made on shuttle looms. These , age-old machines disappeared from the US decades ago – During the 1950s, America experienced a boom in demand for more denim. The American denim manufacturers replaced their shuttle looms with modern projectile looms to increase production. Big mistake! However many of the shuttle looms were purchased by the Japanese, who have kept the old-style American denim-making tradition and developed premium denim artisanship. Shuttle looms weave fabric with one continuous cross thread (weft) passed back and forth. As the weft loops back into the edge of the denim it creates selvedge, which prevents fraying. The rarity of shuttle looms make Japanese selvage denim among the rarest fabrics in the world today.

Not all Japanese denim is selvage of course, but many Japanese mills incorporate more expensive techniques such as rope dyeing (a technique that keeps the core of the denim thread white, producing a bolder patina). They also tend to use ring denim with tighter weaves which means they are usually heavier.

Japanese denim dying and washing techniques are very special. Such techniques can include a blast process with the use of sand particles, followed by a BIO wash, overdye (light beige), and “Keijo Hige Kako” whiskering. There are other processes as well. These painstaking processes by the hands of artisans make Japanese denim stand out in the world.