Okayama Denim x Pure Blue Japan 18oz. ‘KAKISHIBU’ Selvedge Jeans
Okayama Denim and Pure Blue Japan team up once again for the release of another special pair of jeans. Being the first brand that Okayama Denim have carried since inception, the relationship between the two has continued to be strong over the years.
The profound relationship has led to mouthwatering collaborations in the past and their latest effort is no exception. When Okayama Denim (OD) and Pure Blue Japan (PBJ) first put their heads together in order to design a new pair of jeans, two key words kept coming up: ‘Natural dye’ and ‘Artisanal craft’. Combining these key words with ‘Selvedge’, a great collaboration project was conceived.
The Team up
The collaboration between Okayama Denim and Pure Blue Japan is one that will cause most denim heads hearts to beat faster. Both companies have a spotless reputation in the scene and are both highly skilled in their professions.
Okayama Denim is one of Japan’s leading online denim stores and is carrying most of Japan’s finest denim brands. They have created an excellent name in the denim scene by having an incredibly strong collection, fast and free worldwide delivery, and a specialized and friendly customer service.
Pure Blue Japan on the other hand gained a fantastic reputation for itself. The incredibly slubby, irregular and textured fabrics represent Japanese denim in the purest form. The brand, ran by a super small team of expert denim makers, steadily releases hit after hit.
And, just as if the team up wasn’t convincing enough, Okayama Denim and Pure Blue Japan brought in two artists in order to perfect even the smallest details. For the custom artwork of the pocket bag and leather patch (as well as the custom tote bag & enamel pin), the Japanese super-team brought in artist and PBJ super fan Nathan Spoor. Once the leather patches had been debossed with Nathan’s design, it was then handed over to Mike Falkner of Wild Frontier Goods. Mike hand painted each leather patch with natural Kakishibu, using horizontal painted streaks, giving the patch an aesthetic similar to wood. Along with the denim fabric, the hue of Kakishibu paint will lighten with wear.
With such a team, the expectations are high…
The OD+PBJ 18OZ. “KAKISHIBU” selvedge fabric
The collaboration goes under the name ‘KAKISHIBU’ – a fundamental color in Japanese culture, just like indigo. It is a natural dye made by fermenting the juice extracted from unripe sour persimmons. It is brown in color and exhibits a unique smell, just like indigo. Kakishibu has been used since its introduction to Japanese soil in the 13th century and is used for many purposes. Kakishibu is a clarifying agent for sake, a typical Japanese beverage made of rice, and it can even be used as a drug in order to prevent hangovers. Due to its color, it has also been used to dye materials such as wood and fabrics for centuries, which brings us back to the incredibly good collaboration between Okayama Denim and Pure Blue Japan.
The production of the collaboration started with the fabric, with the insane slub that PBJ has become renown for as main incentive. Like most of PBJ’s jeans, the fabric is woven on a low-tension shuttle loom, resulting in a slubby and hairy feeling fabric. The indigo warp is the same yarn that Pure Blue Japan used for a previous model, the XX-18oz-013. The Kakishibu weft weighs in at 18oz., resulting in a fabric that is equal parts slub and nep galore. Featuring a signature PBJ bright blue selvedge ID, the fabric is made of 100% cotton and is unsanforized meaning that you can expect some shrinkage after the first soak.
The details
The OD+PBJ 18 oz. “KAKISHIBU” Selvedge Jeans feature many special details, with the fabric described above as an absolute winner. Furthermore, the jeans feature a 5-button fly with PBJ’s original embossed metal buttons as well as red and white belt loop stitching on a single back left belt loop. On the right back pocket, we’ll find PBJ’s leaf logo with tonal stitching to fit into the collaboration theme.
Details
- proprietary Indigo x Kakishibu Japanese Selvedge Denim
- Unsanforized denim
- 100% cotton
- Available in PBJ’s Slim Tapered and Relaxed Tapered fits
- 5 button fly
- Blue Selvedge ID
- OD+PBJ “Kakishibu” pocket bags
- Hand painted Kakishibu Cowhide Leather waistband patch
- “Kakishibu” Vein Tonal stitching Leaf Logo
- Red & White belt loop stitching on a single back left belt loop
- Raised Belt loops
- PBJ Original hardware (buttons & rivets)
The OD+PBJ 18oz. “KAKISHIBU” Selvedge Jeans were available for pre-order early this year, to make sure all fans could get their hands on a pair. Luckily, Okayama Denim reserved a few pairs to drop on their webstore on August 10th. The OD+PBJ 18 oz. “KAKISHIBU” Selvedge Jeans are available for $280 USD, including free worldwide shipping, at okayamadenim.com.