Momotaro Jeans: A Look Inside the Sewing Factory

Curious about the intricate details, meticulous work, and the pure determination it takes to make a solid pair of denim? The above Youtube video shows just that. This is a view inside of the Momotaro Jeans sewing factory showing the workers carefully sew every stitch, make every cut, and put the finishing touches on the next batch of Momotaro denims.

Momotaro Jeans: A Look Inside the Sewing Factory

Curious about the intricate details, meticulous work, and the pure determination it takes to make a solid pair of denim? The above Youtube video shows just that. This is a view inside of the Momotaro Jeans sewing factory showing the workers carefully sew every stitch, make every cut, and put the finishing touches on the next batch of Momotaro denims.

Vintage Shuttle Looms in Action - Rampuya (Momotaro Denim)

Selvage is an essential element of vintage denim. This is proof of the fabric being only weaved by the vintage looms called "Shuttle Looms". Shuttle looms were invented in England in 1785 and later developed in Japan by Sakichi Toyoda (father of Toyota Motor Corporation founder) in 1897. When domestic heavy ounce denim was produced in Japan, automatic looms made by Toyoda were a mainstream product, though no longer produced nowadays. The traditional production method has nearly disappeared due to the mass production of denim following the popularization of latest (shuttle) looms.

Denim fabrics for Momotaro Jeans are made by artisans who want to create the best denim in the world and still strictly use shuttle looms in doing so. In order to weave heavy ounce denim with primitive feel, as low tension as possible and without losing any of the cotton's original character, careful selection of power looms for heavy ounce fabrics and artisanal technique weaving as slowly and as carefully as possible, is required and will finally create genuine denim. View the above video showing shuttle looms in action producing fabrics in the Rampuya mill for Momotaro denim.

Vintage Shuttle Looms in Action - Rampuya (Momotaro Denim)

Selvage is an essential element of vintage denim. This is proof of the fabric being only weaved by the vintage looms called "Shuttle Looms". Shuttle looms were invented in England in 1785 and later developed in Japan by Sakichi Toyoda (father of Toyota Motor Corporation founder) in 1897. When domestic heavy ounce denim was produced in Japan, automatic looms made by Toyoda were a mainstream product, though no longer produced nowadays. The traditional production method has nearly disappeared due to the mass production of denim following the popularization of latest (shuttle) looms.

Denim fabrics for Momotaro Jeans are made by artisans who want to create the best denim in the world and still strictly use shuttle looms in doing so. In order to weave heavy ounce denim with primitive feel, as low tension as possible and without losing any of the cotton's original character, careful selection of power looms for heavy ounce fabrics and artisanal technique weaving as slowly and as carefully as possible, is required and will finally create genuine denim. View the above video showing shuttle looms in action producing fabrics in the Rampuya mill for Momotaro denim.

Denim Glossary: Why Zimbabwe Cotton?

Zimbabwe cotton is recognized as one of the best quality cotton types in the world. Harvested only by hand, it doesn’t get damaged and is not mixed with impurities. Zimbabwe cotton has a well-proportioned fiber structure and characteristics such as a high luster and whitening, in addition to good pliability and dyeing. Denim labels such as Momotaro and Kicking Mule Workshop have chosen 100% Zimbabwe cotton to make their denim for these very reasons. Basically, in order to make a pair of quality jeans, the cotton is a very important factor in determining the softness of the fabric, the color after dyeing, the strength, and how the denim wears.

Quality cotton, such as Zimbabwe cotton, provides better durability than cheap and hard cotton. It also creates a good natural proportioned slub yarn which can influence the vertical fade and adds to the charm of the jeans. This is why, Zimbabwe cotton is recognized for beautiful vertical fading similar to vintage denim looks. Momotaro and KMW both have become pioneers in the use of 100% Zimbabwe cotton and their denims stand out as some of the best in the world.

Denim Glossary: Why Zimbabwe Cotton?

Zimbabwe cotton is recognized as one of the best quality cotton types in the world. Harvested only by hand, it doesn’t get damaged and is not mixed with impurities. Zimbabwe cotton has a well-proportioned fiber structure and characteristics such as a high luster and whitening, in addition to good pliability and dyeing. Denim labels such as Momotaro and Kicking Mule Workshop have chosen 100% Zimbabwe cotton to make their denim for these very reasons. Basically, in order to make a pair of quality jeans, the cotton is a very important factor in determining the softness of the fabric, the color after dyeing, the strength, and how the denim wears.

Quality cotton, such as Zimbabwe cotton, provides better durability than cheap and hard cotton. It also creates a good natural proportioned slub yarn which can influence the vertical fade and adds to the charm of the jeans. This is why, Zimbabwe cotton is recognized for beautiful vertical fading similar to vintage denim looks. Momotaro and KMW both have become pioneers in the use of 100% Zimbabwe cotton and their denims stand out as some of the best in the world.

Hand-Dyed Natural Indigo vs. Mass Production

The process of hand-dying using natural indigo is a labor intensive traditional method which nearly became a lost art as the mass production method of synthetic indigo dyeing allowed larger amounts of product to be dyed providing similar color with a lower cost. Thus, natural indigo products which require more time and effort have been gradually decreasing.

In the mass production method of machine dyed using synthetic indigo, dying occurs only on the yarn's surface, which is why the core part of yarn is still white. As a result, the indigo dyeing will fade from the fabric's surface. However, in hand-dyeing the fabric is repeatedly dipped into indigo vats, indigo coloring is squeezed out, and dried up in the air, and the process takes a long time as it is done by hand. This is why with hand-dying the yarn is completely dyed even to the core part of yarn. Consequently, it makes less color fade and delivers deeper indigo blue color.

In the above video, watch how the tedious process of hand-dying is achieved. It is a labor of love. This video shows the indigo dying process of Rampuya's denim which is used on the Momotaro Jeans label.

Hand-Dyed Natural Indigo vs. Mass Production

The process of hand-dying using natural indigo is a labor intensive traditional method which nearly became a lost art as the mass production method of synthetic indigo dyeing allowed larger amounts of product to be dyed providing similar color with a lower cost. Thus, natural indigo products which require more time and effort have been gradually decreasing.

In the mass production method of machine dyed using synthetic indigo, dying occurs only on the yarn's surface, which is why the core part of yarn is still white. As a result, the indigo dyeing will fade from the fabric's surface. However, in hand-dyeing the fabric is repeatedly dipped into indigo vats, indigo coloring is squeezed out, and dried up in the air, and the process takes a long time as it is done by hand. This is why with hand-dying the yarn is completely dyed even to the core part of yarn. Consequently, it makes less color fade and delivers deeper indigo blue color.

In the above video, watch how the tedious process of hand-dying is achieved. It is a labor of love. This video shows the indigo dying process of Rampuya's denim which is used on the Momotaro Jeans label.

Shuttle Looms - Japanese Selvedge Denim and American Culture

Shuttle looms were used to produce selvedge denim fabrics in the early 1900's, but as the popularity of denim rose in the 1930's through 1950's, denim mills stopped producing selvedge denim and switched to projectile looms, which were much faster and used less fabric per pair of pants (i.e., mass production). Thus, the shuttle looms were deemed archaic, costly, and time consuming. Japanese companies purchased many of these old machines off of American mills and continue the tradition of making selvedge denim.

The shuttle loom produces selvedge denim as the weft (horizontal thread) is weaved back and forth continuously in a loop, the full length of the machine. When the weft reaches the edge of the machine, it loops back in and starts the process all over again, creating a closed selvedge edge. In contrast, modern projectile loom produces open edges that need to be stitched together, as the weft is weaved only one way (not in a loop).

Who would have thought those ancient shuttle loom machines would once again be on a spotlight half a century later as the producers of high-end denim? And it was the Japanese artisans, who carried on the denim making as it existed in the early 1900's America — the very fabric of American culture.

These vintage shuttle looms continue to make selvedge denim in Okayama, Japan and produce many of the denim fabrics used by our designers. The fabric above is one of the newest projects by Hakari-san, designer of Triple Works and Iron Heart. We will soon see it sewn into denim!

Shuttle Looms - Japanese Selvedge Denim and American Culture

Shuttle looms were used to produce selvedge denim fabrics in the early 1900's, but as the popularity of denim rose in the 1930's through 1950's, denim mills stopped producing selvedge denim and switched to projectile looms, which were much faster and used less fabric per pair of pants (i.e., mass production). Thus, the shuttle looms were deemed archaic, costly, and time consuming. Japanese companies purchased many of these old machines off of American mills and continue the tradition of making selvedge denim.

The shuttle loom produces selvedge denim as the weft (horizontal thread) is weaved back and forth continuously in a loop, the full length of the machine. When the weft reaches the edge of the machine, it loops back in and starts the process all over again, creating a closed selvedge edge. In contrast, modern projectile loom produces open edges that need to be stitched together, as the weft is weaved only one way (not in a loop).

Who would have thought those ancient shuttle loom machines would once again be on a spotlight half a century later as the producers of high-end denim? And it was the Japanese artisans, who carried on the denim making as it existed in the early 1900's America — the very fabric of American culture.

These vintage shuttle looms continue to make selvedge denim in Okayama, Japan and produce many of the denim fabrics used by our designers. The fabric above is one of the newest projects by Hakari-san, designer of Triple Works and Iron Heart. We will soon see it sewn into denim!

Denim Glossary: Right Hand Twill vs. Left Hand Twill vs. Broken Twill

We regularly receive questions about denim fabrics. What is the difference between right hand twill (RHT) and left hand twill (LHT)? What is broken twill? Which fabric is better and why? Today we will try to answer some of these questions using some examples from denim in our current stock.

Denim is made from tightly woven fabric that usually comes from cotton warp yarn and white cotton filling yarn. The filling yarns are stretched across the width of the fabric and interlaced at a 90 degree angle with warp yarns. This creates an interwoven pattern of diagonal lines called "twill weave". Right hand twill, also know as "z twill", was made famous as Levi's jeans standard fabric and now is the most common twill weave used for denim fabrics. Right hand twill can be recognized by the upward direction of the diagonal twill on the face of the fabric as it runs from lower left toward upper right. Right hand twill is known to have a flatter and smoother surface compared to other twill fabrics. The above photo is taken from a DENIME "New XX" raw selvedge straight leg denim in indigo. More information about the DENIME "New XX" using raw Japanese selvedge right hand twill fabric can be seen here.

Left hand twill, also known as "s twill", is a weave in which the grain line runs from the top-left hand corner of the fabric to the bottom right which is the opposite of right hand twill. It was originally used by Lee denim as its basic denim and now used in many premium denim companies such as 45rpm, Lee Japan, and Kicking Mule Workshop. Left hand twill tends to wear down softer than right hand twill and thus a softer hand feel after washing. Left hand twill will also have different wear patterns as the fabric can emphasize streakiness or vertical fading. The above photo is taken from a Kicking Mule Workshop "left hand twill" Rocker slim tapered selvedge denim in indigo. More information about the KMW Rocker using raw Japanese selvedge left hand twill fabric can be seen here.

Broken twill denim was first used by Wrangler in 1964 as a way to combat the twisting effect characteristic of regular twill denim (at the time considered a "fault" by many). Traditionally, twill is woven either to the right hand or the left hand as we described above which will eventually twist itself after washing due to the tension. This is why you see the outseam of some denim twisted to the front or back of the leg. Broken twill avoids this. Instead of the twill running left or right, broken twill contains no distinct direction and instead alternates right and left - the end effect resembles a random zig-zag pattern as shown above. The above photo is taken from a Naked & Famous "skinny guy" broken twill 13oz selvedge denim in indigo. More information about the Naked & Famous skinny guy using raw Japanese selvedge broken twill fabric can be seen here.

Denim Glossary: Right Hand Twill vs. Left Hand Twill vs. Broken Twill

We regularly receive questions about denim fabrics. What is the difference between right hand twill (RHT) and left hand twill (LHT)? What is broken twill? Which fabric is better and why? Today we will try to answer some of these questions using some examples from denim in our current stock.

Denim is made from tightly woven fabric that usually comes from cotton warp yarn and white cotton filling yarn. The filling yarns are stretched across the width of the fabric and interlaced at a 90 degree angle with warp yarns. This creates an interwoven pattern of diagonal lines called "twill weave". Right hand twill, also know as "z twill", was made famous as Levi's jeans standard fabric and now is the most common twill weave used for denim fabrics. Right hand twill can be recognized by the upward direction of the diagonal twill on the face of the fabric as it runs from lower left toward upper right. Right hand twill is known to have a flatter and smoother surface compared to other twill fabrics. The above photo is taken from a DENIME "New XX" raw selvedge straight leg denim in indigo. More information about the DENIME "New XX" using raw Japanese selvedge right hand twill fabric can be seen here.

Left hand twill, also known as "s twill", is a weave in which the grain line runs from the top-left hand corner of the fabric to the bottom right which is the opposite of right hand twill. It was originally used by Lee denim as its basic denim and now used in many premium denim companies such as 45rpm, Lee Japan, and Kicking Mule Workshop. Left hand twill tends to wear down softer than right hand twill and thus a softer hand feel after washing. Left hand twill will also have different wear patterns as the fabric can emphasize streakiness or vertical fading. The above photo is taken from a Kicking Mule Workshop "left hand twill" Rocker slim tapered selvedge denim in indigo. More information about the KMW Rocker using raw Japanese selvedge left hand twill fabric can be seen here.

Broken twill denim was first used by Wrangler in 1964 as a way to combat the twisting effect characteristic of regular twill denim (at the time considered a "fault" by many). Traditionally, twill is woven either to the right hand or the left hand as we described above which will eventually twist itself after washing due to the tension. This is why you see the outseam of some denim twisted to the front or back of the leg. Broken twill avoids this. Instead of the twill running left or right, broken twill contains no distinct direction and instead alternates right and left - the end effect resembles a random zig-zag pattern as shown above. The above photo is taken from a Naked & Famous "skinny guy" broken twill 13oz selvedge denim in indigo. More information about the Naked & Famous skinny guy using raw Japanese selvedge broken twill fabric can be seen here.