Selvedge denim is woven slowly on traditional shuttle looms and is characterized by the non-fraying woven edges along the sides of the fabric. Woven on looms that have remained in operation for more than half a century, this denim embodies a way of making things that prioritizes the passing down of accumulated craftsmanship rather than production efficiency.
Nanamica’s original selvedge denim is also created through this kind of time-intensive craftsmanship. This time, we visit Kaihara Corporation, which handles the rope dyeing, and Okamoto Textile, which continues to weave selvedge denim, to trace the production process behind the fabric.
It begins with a single yarn.
The aim was to create denim with the rough, textured character of natural materials, while offering the functionality that only a modern material can provide.
The starting point was the idea: “Could we make a slub yarn using core yarn*?” Based on a core yarn with recycled polyester at its core and cotton wrapped around it, an original slub yarn was developed. This made it possible to combine in a single yarn two qualities that had traditionally been considered incompatible: the performance of a functional material and the rich character unique to slub yarn. This yarn is used for the warp and combined with a thick, vintage-inspired cotton nep yarn for the weft to create the texture and appearance of the fabric. The resulting yarn then undergoes rope dyeing before being slowly woven on traditional shuttle looms.
*Core yarn is a multi-layered yarn with recycled polyester yarn at its core, wrapped in cotton yarn. Since 2019, Nanamica has used it as a staple material for shirts, chino pants, denim, and other items.
Color develops over time.
Kaihara Corporation in Hiroshima Prefecture, known as one of the world’s leading denim manufacturers, has spent many years refining its rope-dyeing techniques. Rope dyeing is a process in which yarn is repeatedly immersed in a dye bath and exposed to air to oxidize, gradually building up the color layer by layer. When the yarn is lifted from the dye bath, it briefly appears green before turning indigo as it comes into contact with the air. By repeating this process many times, a deep indigo yarn is created.
For jeans, each brand and fabric has its own desired expression of indigo. To achieve that ideal color, rope dyeing builds up the color gradually through repeated cycles of dyeing and oxidation.
What was particularly striking was that the color is not controlled by numerical values alone. The actual color is checked and fine-tuned while taking into account the day’s temperature and humidity, as well as the condition of the dye bath. Once dyed in this way, the yarn is passed on to the next stage: weaving.
Why weave slowly?
Okamoto Textile, located in Ibara, Okayama Prefecture, is a weaving mill that has been producing selvedge denim for more than half a century. Its traditional shuttle looms remain in use today, maintained and repaired over the years, producing a wide range of fabrics from the richly textured character of vintage denim to contemporary textiles. Nanamica’s original selvedge denim is also woven at this mill.
Traditional shuttle looms are often discussed as one of the defining features of selvedge denim. What was striking at Okamoto Textile, however, was that the value does not lie simply in the fact that the machines are old. Modern looms can weave uniform fabric efficiently at many times the speed of shuttle looms. Even so, selvedge denim is deliberately woven slowly. This avoids placing unnecessary tension on the yarn, creating a natural, airy texture.
In fact, the machines can be run at higher speeds. But to bring out the natural character of the cotton, the fabric is deliberately woven at a slower pace. What matters is not the age of the machines themselves, but the character of the fabric created by this method of weaving. Rather than efficiency, priority is given to achieving the desired texture of the fabric. Over time, this approach creates the distinctive character of selvedge denim.
Yet the conditions that make this kind of production possible cannot be taken for granted. The looms are no longer manufactured, and broken parts are repaired by welding so they can continue to be used. The number of craftspeople able to repair them is also declining year by year, making the continuation of this technique into the future a significant challenge. Even so, they continue weaving in order to keep creating the ideal texture they seek. To do so, these shuttle looms must be preserved for the future.
Nanamica’s selvedge denim is made using the fabric created through this process.
For the warp, a slub core yarn with recycled polyester at its core and cotton wrapped around it is used. It provides a dry, comfortable feel while achieving the rich character of natural fibers. For the weft, a thick, vintage-inspired cotton nep yarn is added, bringing together functionality and appearance. Running along the selvedge edge is Nanamica’s signature blue. As if reflecting the sea that forms part of the brand’s background, the color is woven into the very edge of the fabric.
Rope dyeing, followed by slow weaving on traditional shuttle looms. Through these accumulated processes, the denim develops greater character the more it is worn.
The techniques passed down over generations are not there to recreate the past, but to create new denim. That idea is woven into Nanamica’s selvedge denim.
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