The history of jeans being made in Japan started in the 1960s when denim was imported from the United States and then sewn and sold domestically. The area where this sewing started up and flourished was called Kojima, which is in Okayama prefecture. This is why Kojima is commonly referred to as the birthplace of Japanese jeans.

 

At that time, the jeans were selling like crazy and developed into a real symbol of youth culture, creativity, and even rebellion. The problem, however, was that a lot of the imported denim had flaws and imperfections in it which weren't really suitable for a lot of Japanese people, who tend to place a lot of importance on product quality.

 

To address this problem, Japan produced its own 'shuttle' weaving looms and began to produce thick, high-quality denim fabrics domestically. This 'selvedge denim', as it is known, is still being produced in Japan today and has gained many admirers the world over for its quality, texture, and a certain 'something' that you just can't find in modern denim made on huge automated machines. Word of this high-quality Japanese denim eventually spread overseas, and in the 1980s, even some of the world's major jeans companies were using it.

 

However, as is often the case in the modern world, the demand for mass production and more profits led most denim and jeans companies to eventually switch over to more modern looms that can produce denim much faster (and in much wider rolls) than these vintage shuttle looms ever could. The result is that selvedge denim was pretty much phased out and it became much harder to find this rare and special denim. Shuttle looms fell into disuse all around the world as companies eagerly pursued cheaper and faster alternatives.

 

However, amongst all of this modernization, Japan continues to do things the old way, steadfastly producing the world's best selvedge denim, all done on vintage shuttle looms. This unparalleled commitment to quality has meant that Japanese denim is now sought after by brands and fans all around the world. The fact that the supply of this special denim is finite (the actual shuttle looms haven't been manufactured in decades so their numbers are not only fixed but dwindling) has made the fabric even more desirable and hard to source.

 

Of course, the denim created and sold by Samurai Jeans is of the above mentioned type, and we never cut corners or compromise on quality. We are continuously developing new and interesting denim, all woven on old, traditional shuttle looms. Although each loom can weave only enough fabric for about 10 garments a day, the denim these machines produce has amazing texture and character, in contrast to the somewhat flat and lifeless fabric you get from the huge modern machines. This unevenness, or "slub", is what makes our denim truly unique. And using these slow and outdated looms is the only way to achieve this magic.

 

Rare denim made in Japan. Among the many denim makers now operating in Japan, we hope you'll experience what sets Samurai Jeans apart, as we focus on uncommonly heavy fabrics with unparalleled texture and character.

 

Get yourself into some Samurai denim and see what the fuss is all about.