We're excited to restock the iconic Kakishibu Sashiko series from Studio D'artisan. The cotton yarns used in the warp have been skein dyed with indigo and the yarns used in the weft has been dyed with kakishibu, an all-natural dye fermented from the juice of unripe persimmons, in order to create this beautiful indigo-brown sashiko fabric. Given the labour intensive process of dyeing the yarns in a natural dye like Kakishibu, only a small production lot of these jackets can be made.
Kakishibu is a traditional dyeing method often referred to as the sun-dye, using the discolouration caused by oxidation of the fermented juice of unripened persimmon fruit containing strong tannin. It also reacts to sunlight, so the colour changes slowly with time and sun exposure. This form of persimmon dyeing goes back 900 years; Japanese people enjoyed the changing colours and texture of the natural reactions after one week, one month, and one year later. However, because of fast-paced consumer society, Kakishibu traditions disappeared for many years.
The most remarkable attribute of this jacket is that it will reveal a unique patina over time. Studio D'artisan has made this sashiko with jacquard weave and exquisite craftsmanship. The buttons are made of Corozo nut, sustainably sourced from Central and South America. The corozo nut is not cut down from the tree; instead, they wait for the nut clusters to drop to the ground from the corozo, or Tagua palm tree. The nuts are then dried for three months once they have become hard and ready to craft. The large nut is then cut into slices, shaped, and made natural buttons.
Under the slogan of "Reconstruction of great old things", Studio D'Artisan is one of the iconic brands of Japanese denim. Founded by Shigeharu Tagaki and reproducing classics of French and American workwear since 1979, Studio D'Artisan takes pride in having been one of the Osaka 5.
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