On the second day, under the guidance of Mr. Okazaki, president of Okazaki Knit, with whom we are collaborating on this project, we will be accompanied by Ms. Yamazaki, director of V:room, and in the first half, we will learn about the "starting point" of yarn making and dyeing from the upstream. We have previously collaborated with Ms. Yamazaki on ISETAN MEN'S private brand, and this time we will deepen our knowledge of fabric making by checking the process together.
The goal is to personally verify the premise of the sweatshirt design. The starting point is simple: "I want to create a unique sweatshirt that prioritizes comfort above all else." The aim is a light, soft, and comfortable unisex garment. It has a "plump and moist" feel that blends seamlessly into both everyday life and resort wear. Instead of leaning towards a dry and stiff fabric, we are directly addressing the common request in stores for "something comfortable to wear" through fabric design.

Taisho Spinning—The reality of yarn quality and management

I visited Taisho Spinning Co., Ltd. this morning.

The warehouse is neatly organized with high-quality cotton, and multiple grades, including organic cotton, are handled with care. I understood that yarn is not "just a material," but that its value is determined by the accumulation of previous processes—this was evident in the specific procedures and management methods. The way value is assigned at each stage of the process is clear, providing more clues to explain in my own words why I choose certain materials.




Within the premises, a valuable ring spinning machine, the "Ishikawa-dai" (manufactured in 1953), is preserved and in operation. The presence of this historically significant machine made me realize that the transmission of technology supports "today's quality." I was able to take away many hints that will directly impact our planning, such as how yarn selection affects the final feel of the fabric.

Toyo Dyeing Factory - Controlling temperature fluctuations by hand during the coloring process.

Next, we visited Toyo Senko, a dyeing factory.

We listened to an explanation of the environment while we toured the site.
"We don't use air conditioning or heating to prevent the colors from changing. We work in scorching heat in the summer and freezing cold in the winter," says Managing Director Tanaka.
I realized that the quality is maintained by keeping temperature and humidity fluctuations to a minimum by carrying out a series of processes such as "soaking the dough, taking it out, and washing it" by hand.

I was also impressed by the large number of young people involved, and it seemed that a work style of starting early in the morning and finishing early in the afternoon was well-established. Upstream work is rarely featured in the media, but I felt that people gather here because they take pride in their work.



The quality of the yarn, temperature control during the process, and the precision of the handiwork—all of these factors directly impact the final feel of the fabric.
To create a truly unique sweatshirt with unparalleled comfort, we will use the insights we gained from Kawakami here to select fabrics and design the garment in our next meeting with Okazaki Knit.