Tanuki’s YUJKT2 Jacket: Natural Indigo From Warp to Weft
Okayama-based jeans maker Tanuki recently released another fantastic denim jacket. Named the YUJKT2, the jacket is a redesigned ‘Type II ‘silhouette which lends its heritage from history, while being updated for the modern day. Being part of the Yurai collection, the jacket comes in a custom developed 16.5 oz. fabric, which has a unique appearance and an extraordinary fading potential.
Tanuki isn’t new to the denim scene, neither is it a stranger to Robin Denim. The brand was formed by a collective of experienced craftsmen and is built of a foundation of knowledge and passion for denim. With decades of experience in every level of the process, Tanuki is shifting the boundaries and shaping the future of Japanese denim. Recently Tanuki has gone from 0 to 100 by releasing winner after winner. The brand has made a name for itself by designing well-balanced contemporary fits, which have became popular across the world in the blink of an eye. And, wehre the brand also excels, is developing mouthwatering fabrics which go against the grain of traditional denim in some ways, but do acknowledge the heritage of our favourite fabric.
Photo courtesy of Koen Kuik.
The 16.5 oz. Yurai Fabric
The YUJKT2 denim jacket is part of the Yurai collection which has been dropped recently. The word ‘Yurai’ means ‘source’ in Japanese, which obviously refers to the blue indigo blood which flows through the veins of Tanuki and its founders. All garments of the Yurai capsule collection – which includes a jacket and two pairs of jeans – have one common starting point; a custom developed selvedge denim fabric.
In order to find the right type of cotton, Tanuki has been testing multiple types, each with its own characteristics. Eventually, the brand selected cotton from Texas because of its absorbent properties with natural indigo. The Yurai fabric comes in a ‘loom state’ and is woven under a low tension to maintain its breathability, even though it comes in at a weight of 16.5 oz. The fabric features a subtle slub, has a crisp hand-feel, and will soften up after a few days of wear. Thanks to the Texas cotton, the fabric feels quite rough and dry, yet is comfortable to wear throughout the seasons.
Where the fabric really excels are the intense shades of blues. In order to come to the incredible fabric, the brand has been using natural indigo, which normally ends up being 4 times more expensive than pure indigo and is VERY labor intensive. To tackle both of these issues, Tanuki developed a dope-dye method allowing the brand to use natural indigo. The dye penetrates to the core of the cotton yarns deeper than with pure indigo, resulting in a rich and intense blue at the warp yarn. The weft yarns have been quickly dipped in the natural indigo and were exposed to oxygen for a longer period in-between the dips, providing a unique and intense cobalt shade. The contrast between the warp and weft looks fantastic at first and will result in great fades after some wear!
Photo courtesy of Remy Online.
The YUJKT2
The YUJKT2 is Tanuki’s interpretation of the iconic Type II denim jacket. The jacket has been slightly updated to fit better for the modern day consumer but without betraying the rich history of the jacket. The contemporary cut of the YUJKT2 jacket has a longer torso than the original to give the garment a modernized appearance and and better usability. The chest pockets are also slightly higher, with added ‘hand warmer’ pockets at the hip.
The YUJKT2 features pleats at either side of the placket and incorporates box stitching into the design, elaborating upon the rich history and signature accents of the jacket. It has been stitched together with a ‘banana’ colored contrasting yarn, in order to let the fabric stand out even more. Of course, the jacket is features all Tanuki’s signature details like, the “Ni” (二) logo stitching on right shoulder, custom engraved branded hardware and a hand stained custom deerskin patch. Lastly, the jacket comes in a one-wash state in order to eliminate any shrinkage after the first wash.
All-in-all, we felt that this is recognizable Type II that pays homage to the history of denim, but is undoubtedly fit for today, and tomorrow!
Photo courtesy of Remy Online.
The Details
As we have come to expect from the brand, all garments from Tanuki showcase great details throughout, and the YUJKT2 is no exception. With the fabric acting as the main draw, the YUJKT2 elaborates on both the history of denim as well as the identity of the brand and the future of Japanese denim design. Here’s the technical breakdown of the details;
- 16.5 oz. unsanforized selvedge denim
- One-wash finish
- 100% cotton from Texas, USA
- Modified and updated ‘Type II’ design
- “Ni” (二) logo stitching on right shoulder – the Japanese character for the number two and a symbol representing tradition and change
- Rope dyed natural indigo warp and weft
- Custom engraved hardware
- Two front hand pockets with blue herringbone lining
- Hand stained custom deerskin patch
- Cobalt blue & white selvedge
- Banana colored yarns
The 16.5oz YUJKT2 Natural Indigo “Yurai” Jacket is available on Tanuki’s webstore for €318, including free worldwide shipping. And, as with all other purchases via the brand’s online store, in the unfortunate event of being charged with custom duties, Tanuki will refund you the amount of duties paid – isn’t this customer service 2.0!?
Photo courtesy of Remy Online.
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