SASAYAMA COTTON BASE−
From cotton to denim, all in one place.
This is a place where we can do each process by ourselves, from sowing the seeds to making denim, surrounded by the wonderful nature of the Sasayama area.
We go back to the absolute basics of manufacturing and spare no effort to create clothing that comes from nature and lives in harmony with it, all the while working hand-in-hand with the local community and connecting us all to a sustainable future.
Our denim is not just clothing, but rather the actual story and record of how it went from a seed to the item you now hold in your hands or wear in your daily life.
Cotton becomes yarn which in turn becomes fabric.
This is the journey from nature to a finished product, and it all begins with the cotton itself.
Harvesting Cotton
When a single seed becomes the fabric of the future.
The fluffy cotton balls, which have been ripened in the fresh air and bright sun, are carefully picked one by one. We insist on hand-picking so we don't damage the delicate fibers and to receive the blessings of nature as they are offered naturally.
This white, soft cotton will eventually become yarn, fabric, and a piece of clothing that will wrap around your body and envelop your spirit.
And it all begins with this small harvest.
Cotton Ginning
Separating the seeds from the fibers is the first step in the manufacturing process.
Freshly-picked raw cotton contains tiny seeds tightly wrapped up in the fibers. Cotton ginning is the process of carefully separating these seeds from the fibers themselves.
In the old days, this was done manually with a wooden tool, but now it's done with a special machine. This process is a very important step in the foundation of cloth making.
By extracting the delicate fibers without damaging them, the fibers will exhibit a soft texture when they are later spun into yarn and then woven into fabric.
Even a single piece of clothing a person might wear without thinking much about it is born from these small steps, requiring a surprising amount of time, skill, and effort.
From Cotton to Yarn
The cotton fibers are connected to each other to form yarn.
After the seeds are removed in the ginning process, the cotton goes through the "carding" process to loosen and align the fibers.
The fluffy fibers are combed repeatedly to remove any dirt or irregularities and then made into strips called slivers that will be used as the basis for yarn.
These slivers are then bundled together, stretched, and twisted together in the spinning process.
This is the magical moment when the fibers are transformed into a single strand of yarn.
*The carding process is used to loosen the cotton and other fibers and align them evenly to make it easier to spin into yarn.
*Slivers are bundles of thick, rope-like strips of fibers that are formed after the cotton fibers have been prepared.
From Yarn to Fabric
When the yarn takes shape.
The prepared yarns are now set to come to life as fabric through knitting and weaving.
Woven fabrics are made by crossing warp and weft threads to create a firm and sturdy cloth. In knitting, the yarns are looped to create a softer, stretchy fabric.
The texture of the yarn and the way it is knitted or woven can give the same raw materials a totally different look and feel when completed.
This is a delicate time of change before it all turns into an actual piece of clothing.
*Warp threads are the basic threads that are stretched straight on the loom. They create the framework of the fabric, and are its strength and stability.
*Weft threads are threads that are passed through so that they thread across the warp threads. Changing the material and color of the weft adds expression and softness to the fabric.
When Fabric Becomes Denim
Growing over time, it becomes a part of your daily life.
After weaving and dyeing, the fabric finally begins to take on the appearance of denim.
First, the fabric is chosen and cut according to its texture and thickness. Each piece of each pair of jeans is carefully cut out.
Then, the jeans are sewn. To achieve both strength and ease of movement, the jeans are sewn together by skilled hands using thick, strong thread. Pockets, belt loops, and other small details are also carefully finished individually.
The denim may be stiff at first, but over time it will soften and become more comfortable, developing into a color and shape unique to the owner.
