In 1951, Sukejiro Kaihara established Kaihara Textile Mills Ltd. with an investment of 1,800,000 yen (the equivalent of roughly $5,000 USD back then) and 34 looms. Twenty years later, the company became the first in Japan to offer rope-dyeing in-house—a process that’s key to creating the dramatic fading effects of well-worn, raw denim. Today, Kaihara is the largest supplier of denim in Japan, and one of the most recognizable names in denim production in the world.
Known for their immaculate attention to detail and their unrelating dedication to tradition, the denim produced at Kaihara Mill comes with decades of history in both heritage Americana and traditional Japanese dyeing techniques. This knowledge—combined with innovative technologies and patented machines designed exclusively by themselves—informs Kaihara Mills in every step of the manufacturing process, from spinning to dyeing to weaving and, finally, the finishing of the bulk denim fabric.
For our Spring ‘18 collection, we partnered with the renowned mill to create our Luke Regular Fit Jeans and Ray Denim Jacket in a 13.75 oz selvedge denim that’s the perfect weight for year-round wear. Available in two timeless colorways—Stone Washed Indigo and Raw Indigo, they feature a regular fit, mid-rise and a slight taper in the leg. A leather patch and branded hardware round out the details.■
