For only the second time in 3 years and now for that last time ever, it's our most unusual and beautiful workshirt: The Japan Wabisabi Workshirt. We just learned from our mill in Japan that this is the final run of this glorious fabric. It's now officially deadstock and we have it for you today.
This style uses sanforized raw selvedge denim from one of the finest mills in Japan. One of the most complex fabrics we've seen yet. Shade, weave and an extra special stitch make this an absolute must have workshirt. If this was just a selvedge herringbone from Japan it would be cool enough to wear. This one has a rich indigo warp paired with a rare olive green weft. The herringbone weave really allows the olive shade to show through, giving this fabric an almost antique appearance. It gets much better. Running throughout the fabric are thin, crisp white stitch lines that waver as they run vertically up the herringbone. This is the type of irregularity and artistry that Japan is know for. At 10oz's this is a beefy work shirt and it gets a nice thick red ID with a white ticking stripe. If you're looking for real art in fabric, this is the style for you.
There are a number of construction details that define our workshirt. The first is ample triple needle work with a classic chain stitch runoff. Triple needle is a specialized stitch not found on a standard button downs and that serves as the heart of any good work shirt. Ours gets triple need flat felled yoke and side seams with chain stitched bottoms. We also allow the side seam chain stitch to “runoff” the end giving you three chain stitch ends on each side. We bar tack to ensure the runoff can’t compromise the security of the side seam. The second detail is double chest pockets. We keep ours a bit cleaner, without flaps, but use button closures and double bar tacks in each corner for added strength. The left chest pocket gets the addition of a small pen slot. The third detail is side hem gussets. It’s a small functional element and looks absolutely great. On our selvedge styles we incorporate the selvedge on the bottom. Finally, we love the chin strap. Ours is small enough to be tasteful while still reminding you of the work wear roots of the garment. We created new custom Corozo buttons specifically for our work shirts. They’re a deep navy shade with a slightly domed top and two holes for securing. Overall, this is one of our most intricately constructed garments and one of the most costly to produce.
For production on these, we're teaming up with a small shop that exclusively sews reproduction workwear for Japanese brands - always above $300 per shirt. Their work is immaculate, and we're excited to be partnering with them.
Our workshirts will be available in our Classic and Slim fits. The main differences in details between our workshirts and our other shirting come down to construction - no back box pleat, and differently shaped side scoops. The Slim fit has a more tailored body as compared to our Classic fit. Chest and waist come in to provide a more fitted option. Details are in our fit guide now.