Taking “hand-made” to the next level
COTTLE has actually been around for a couple of years. They began their journey on May 5, 2015, in Kojima, in the Okayama Prefecture, widely known as the birthplace of Japanese denim. This region is the very heart of the Japanese textile industry. Most of the factories, mills, and dyeing workshops associated with denim are located here.
The COTTLE workshop: A 120 year old factory
The first beautiful thing we learned about COTTLE is that they didn’t rent offices, they bought an old, run-down textile factory and restored it. That is 120 years of history that would otherwise have been lost. They also brought a lot of old machinery, like hand-looms, back to life. Because they did not just transform this old factory into a shiny office and spacious studio, no, COTTLE still manufactures in these old halls. It’s an admirable approach: They wanted to create a flow of creativity that transmits ideas to products. They think of a design in their studio and then directly get it done in their very own factory. There is no waiting time for samples and their flexibility allows them to twist and tweak their designs in any way they see fit. Their workshop is equipped with many vintage sewing machines, collected over decades, and all the old school tools for cutting the fabrics, to allow them to go from creating an idea to crafting a product instantly. We love COTTLE for being, literally, a hand-on brand.
Putting the work in workshop
You need to know that COTTLE is run by people who are not just designers and marketers, they are craftsmen themselves. And their products are a testament to that. COTTLE is the brainchild of Toshiaki Watanabe, or, as we call him, Toshi-san (there is going to be an exclusive interview with the man soon, so keep your eyes peeled!).Toshi-san was born in Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture. A major factor for us falling in love with COTTLE is Toshi-san whose dedication and personal philosophy are irresistible. He is the embodiment of someone who lives and dies for good fabrics.
When he was a child, he was smaller than all his friends and classmates and was often overlooked because of that. Clothing, it seemed to him, was the only way for him to express himself and being recognized. But buying clothing was not enough for Toshi-san and in the second year of junior high school, he decided that he wanted to a proper tailor, a true craftsman and become skilled enough to make products that would make people happy and give them confidence. The important thing about Toshi-san is that he follows through. If this man has a vision, he will work relentlessly until it becomes a reality.
Toshi-san checking different shades of denim
When he turned 18 he became a traveling craftsman on the road, learned old school dress- and suit-making techniques in proper ateliers. But knowing how to make clothing was not enough, he knew that he didn’t want to just follow the designs of other people, he needed to be able to create new shapes and forms himself. So he enrolled in the prestigious Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo to study design. It was during that time that Toshi-san discovered the role that Okayama plays for us denimheads. He learned that his hometown is a sacred place for world-class denim. When he returned home from Tokyo at the age of 21, he began working in Kojima in textile production planning and manufacturing.
Design and manufacturing: all done in-house
When he was younger, he didn’t pay attention to it, but now he understood: the sound of his youth was the rattling sound of old denim-looms, a rhythm dictated by the clicking sound of people pushing the pedals of their sewing machines. It is the only place on earth, were everything is overshadowed by denim, where denim is the most omnipresent item in everyday life and he realized that he wanted to be a part of it, to pour the love he feels for this place into a product. For Toshi, denim is a labor of love.
fabrics, fabrics, fabrics
Toshi-san is insanely knowledgeable when it comes to designing fabrics from scratch and he knows the right people to source the cotton, spin the yarn and weave the fabric. Everyone loves Toshi-san and it seems like everyone in the denim industry has worked with him at some point. After learning everything there was to learn, he was ready for the next step: After 8 years, at the age of 29, he started planning COTTLE together with his wife Yukari, a classmate at Bunka Fashion College and professional accessory designer. Another two years later, he bought his own factory. For three years he sources more machines, hires workers, designs hardware, creates samples, develops their very own kintsugi buttons, and creates his very own denim. In 2018, he is ready: He asks another classmate from Bunka Fashion College to join him and launch COTTLE. This company is run like a family workshop and we instantly felt right at home with them when we visited their old factory.
the team behind COTTLE: A family and friends operation
COTTLE stands for COTTON x KETTLE (pot). It stands for the desire to see denim as a household good, something that is essential. Premium denim represents a certain kind of luxury, the luxury that lurks in casual everyday life. Having handled their products, we know what they mean.
UNIFORM FOR LIVING
We will start with two models from COTTLE and now it’s time to talk about denim and construction. We will add their tops in the coming months.
Kakishibu, sashiko, denim, indigo: COTTLE has it all
As we have mentioned before, Toshi-san has worked with a lot of brands and helped them to develop fabrics. There is a good chance that you are wearing a pair of jeans made from denim that he in part crafted. Before he started COTTLE, he met with the president of KAPITAL who told him to do things differently. Sometimes, you need to think outside the box to refine something that is already very good.
Toshi-san has always cared about the mix ratio and materials for his fabrics. He studied color, texture, weight, yarn count, etc. until he finally got his first denim fabric. His first denim was da fabric woven by a rapier weaving machine called W-width. It consisted of 90% cotton and 10% hemp. It clocked in at 14oz (part number CTL-5524). However, the hemp cotton fabric didn’t convince him fully, so he started from scratch… again!
What a neppy texture, what an amazing dye
He wanted a lighter fabric that could be worn all year. At 12oz, their signature denim (CTL-3450) does precisely that. It consists of 91% cotton and 9% linen. If you ever touch their denim, you will be surprised. It has the softness of hand-woven fabrics, a certain elegance, and, yet, with all the nep coming through at the surface, this feeling of incompleteness. It all comes down the yarn: The neppy linen and cotton are twisted into a single thread. The right ratio is crucial and the one percent less linen (from 10% to 9%) makes all the difference. The loose weaving makes the jeans very breathable and adds texture. It is an incredibly smooth fabric and thanks to the material, there is a natural stretch to it. The amount of fabric that can be produced at one time is limited and depends on the weather too. The old shuttle looms are fickle machines and when it is too humid, they cannot work with the linen-cotton yarn which becomes very thick when damp. Just look at the weft structure with all the loom shatter to get an idea:
the weft in all its irregular glory
And even the dye of this fabric is special. The indigo shade faithfully reproduces the color of the jeans of the first batch of Japanese denim (trust us, Toshi-san knows these kinds of things). The vibrant color is reminiscent of the beautiful indigo color that has the spirit of the old and new. But there is a secret to this color. There is a place called “the smallest school in Japan”, the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute.
Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute
Only women are allowed to study there and create things while staying for a year. They learn of the richness and wisdom of life through dyed and woven yarn. The traditions of this place have been carefully created and protected in Kurashiki. Toshi-san got in touch with the Director of the school, Professor Ishigami, to collaborate on fabrics together. Together, they have been working to reinvent hand-woven fabrics into modern clothes and accessories. COTTLE serves as a bridge between history and tradition and modern fashion.
Ancient Japanese Traditions
They developed a dye containing indigo and natural petal dye to create a denim tone that is truly unique and outstanding. The yarn is dyed by hand and the petal dye is a century-old recipe of the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute and no other brand is allowed to use it. It does not get much more exclusive than this. The amount of manual labor that goes into this fabric is only rivaled by AIZOME fabrics – and if you compare the price of AIZOME fabrics to this, you understand that COTTLE offers and outstanding value for money.
The selvedge ID really stands out. It is based on old designs of Japanese Folk Art that Toshi-san found in the archives of the Kurashiki Institute. The pattern is unique It is the most outstanding selvedge ID that we have ever seen, which gives a great contrast against the indigo x petal dyed denim. The Indian red selvedge is dyed by hand and you will find this selvedge ID at the fly AND the coin pocket.
Selvedge ID in indian red, based on old Japanese patterns
Here are three short videos for you to see how the Indian red thread is made:
The leather patch features a truly unusual shape and depicts the lovely islands in the Seto inland sea. The landscape of the Seto islands, seen from Kojima, is round, and a poppy Island “floats” in the sea. Toshi-san designed this patch when his wife moved to live with him, moving all the way from Yokohama. It is a personal touch, but it just shows you how much of Toshi-san is actually inscribed into his products.
The best leather quality; a design inspired by nature
One last thing that deserves your attention: The top button. Unlike many brands, who order their hardware from big suppliers (which are great quality, don’t get us wrong), COTTLE goes the extra mile. Most buttons are pressed in big machines, but COTTLE cast their buttons. They pour the melted iron into a mold, which is an ancient technique that is also used for things such as Buddha statues. The amount of detail they can achieve this way is staggering and the surface is extremely smooth. Every single one of these buttons is made by a skilled craftsman. The pattern shows overlapping and connecting circles, three-dimensionally carved with the finest lines that can be cast. Take a close look, the overlapping circles are created so that the circles are stuck on top and bottom. The button alone is a work of art.
Iron cast by hand: These buttons are next level hardware
We cannot stress enough how much work goes into even the smallest detail of these jeans. That is also reflected in their cuts. COTTLE offers two cuts and we are sure that one of them will be to your liking:
1. C.T.L STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA
This is their regular cut and it is packed with tradition! It comes with a button fly and hidden rivets, reminiscent of the denim making of the old days. They have a fairly high rise, so that they will give a great silhouette and can be worn with your shirt tucked in if you like. This relaxed fit is very comfortable around the waist and if you are into wide fits, this one will certainly make you happy. Toshi-san has spent months in the archives of various brands, studying their regular cut to create a cut that everyone can enjoy.
Click here to buy Non-Washed Version or One-Washed Version
STPT3450: The Straight Cut
2. C.T.L SLIM STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA (INDIAN RED)
It is a slightly tighter silhouette compared to the regular straight cut, but it is in no way restricting. Again, Toshi-san and his team have gone at great length to create this cut. It is more modern than COTTLE’s regular cut and therefore has different features like a zip fly and no hidden rivets. The back pockets sit closer together and the coin pocket is moved towards the center to enhance a slim look that is very comfortable to wear. Thanks to the high rise, the jeans look classy and timeless, and might be an alternative for everyone who wants a tight straight leg but is not a fan of a low rise.
Click here to buy Non Wash Version or One-Washed Version
SSPT3450: The Slim Straight Cut
pure class
We offer these in a solid rigid state and as you know, unsanforised denim shrinks quite a bit after the first soak. Most of you know the drill, but it is always good to repeat things.
If you are in the market for a pair of eans that is different without looking flashy, COTTLE should be your new favorite brand. The way they make their jeans in-house with truly unique methods is simply spectacular, i.e. creating their own dye, spinning their own yarn, casting their own buttons. You can tell that they are dead-set on creating your uniform for living, everyday luxury in its purest form. Their jeans look amazing straight out of the box, but they are designed to get better with wear. And these jeans are so gorgeous, we are sure they will see plenty of wear.
COTTLE don’t make clothing they wouldn’t wear themselves
Toshi-san himself says: If you bought something from COTTLE, we are confident that you have chosen well. You found an item that only you can bring to life by wearing it and at the same, you are keeping old Japanese traditions alive. Thank you very much for choosing COTTLE.[:id]Banyak orang sering meminta kami untuk menambah brand baru di Denimio. Tidak ada kriteria paten untuk brand yang dapat kami pilih tapi ketika kami menemukan brand yang membuat denim dengan cara yang berbeda dan unik – kami pun tertarik pastinya. Sudah terlalu banyak brand Jepang untuk dipilih? Ketika kalian bertemu dengan brand yang memiliki kualitas, dedikasi tinggi dan berambisi terhadap brandnya sendiri; Anda pun pasti tahu mereka spesial. Perkenalkan dengan COTTLE, brand yang lebih dari Anda harapkan, menjadi brand yang selalu kamu cari untuk pakaian sehari-hari.
‘Handmade’ yang lebih dari buatan tangan semata.
COTTLE sebenarnya sudah beroperasi selama beberapa tahun terakhir ini. Mereka memulai brand mereka sejak 5 Mei 2015, di Kojima, Okayama – daerah yang tentunya kalian tahu sebagai tempat lahirnya denim berkualitas, jantung industri tekstil Jepang. Kebanyakan pabrik dan proses pembuatan dan pewarnaan terjadi.
Workshop COTTLE: sejarah 120 tahun.
Hal pertama yang membuat kami tertarik pada COTTLE adalah pada fakta bahwa mereka tidak menyewa kantornya sendiri. COTTLE membeli sebuah pabrik tekstil lama, kuno dan merenovasinya – sejarah 120 tahun yang tidak lekang oleh waktu. COTTLE juga membeli banyak mesin lama, seperti alat tenun tangan untuk hidup kembali. Tidak hanya merubah pabrik tua ini ke kantor dan studio yang berestetika, COTTLE juga memproduksi denim mereka di tempat ini. Pendekatan yang berkesan: mereka ingin menciptakan creative flow yang menginspirasi ide menjadi wujud nyata pada saat yang sama dalam waktu singkat. Mereka merealisasikan ide dari studio mereka dan lalu mewujudkannya langsung di pabrik mereka sendiri. Tidak ada lagi menunggu sample dan fleksibilitas ini yang membuat setiap modifikasi lebih cepat. Workshop mereka lengkap dengan berbagai mesin jahit vintage, yang dikoleksi selama bertahun-tahun dan semua alat cutting lawas – salah satu faktor lagi yang membuat kami menghargai COTTLE, brand yang benar-benar hands on!
Pekerja di workshop COTTLE
COTTLE dijalankan oleh tidak hanya desainer dan orang marketing saja, mereka juga pengrajin denim – produk mereka adalah saksi kualitas kerajinan mereka. COTTLE adalah hasil gagasan Toshiaki Watanabe, atau yang kami panggil Toshi-san (akan ada wawancara eksklusif dengan Toshi-san dekat ini, can’t wait!).
Toshi-san lahir di Kurashiki, Okayama. Faktor lain COTTLE memberi kesan tersendiri adalah pada dedikasi dan filosofi diri Toshi-san yang tidak terelakkan. Beliau adalah seorang yang hidup dan mati untuk menghasilkan dan menghargai fabrik terbaik.
Ketika Toshi-san masih kecil, ia termasuk anak yang lebih kecil dari anak lain dan terkadang tidak diperhatikan karenanya. Pakaian, baginya, menjadi salah satu ekspresi dirinya untuk menarik perhatian. Tapi membeli baju saja tidak cukup baginya dan saat ia berada kelas dua SMP, ia memutuskan untuk menjadi penjahit artisanal, jiwa pengrajin yang membangun talentanya sendiri untuk membuat pakaian yang dapat membuat orang bahagia dan membuat mereka percaya diri – salah satu hal terbaik dari Toshi-san adalah dia selalu menyelesaikan apa yang dia mulai. Visi yang ia miliki, akan dikerjakan hingga hal itu menjadi realita.
Toshi-san melihat beberapa tipe tekstil denim
Di umur 18 tahun, ia menjelajah dunia pengrajin dengan berkeliling ke berbagai tempat, belajar membuat baju dengan cara lama dan suits pada atelier ternama. Tapi itu pun tidak cukup baginya, ia tidak ingin hanya mengikuti desain orang lain, ia juga ingin membuat pattern dan form miliknya sendiri. Toshi-san pun masuk ke Bunka Fashion College di Tokyo untuk belajar desain. Saat inilah Toshi-san menemukan peran Okayama bagi para denimheads dunia – ia mengetahui bahwa kampung halamannya merupakan pusat dunia untuk denim berkualitas. Ketika dia kembali ke rumah saat dia berumur 21, dia mulai bekerja di pabrik pembuatan dan pemrosesan tekstil di Kojima.
Desain dan menufaktur dibuat in-house
Saat ia lebih muda, Toshi-san tidak terlalu memperhatikan hal tersebut, tapi kini ia mengerti: masa mudanya yang terdengar melalui mesin jahit denim yang lawas, ritme selaras dari pengrajin pada mesin jahit mereka. Hanya di tempat inilah, dimana segala hal tidak lebih penting dari denim, dimana denim akan selalu ada dimanapun ia pergi dan memutuskan bahwa di tempat ini juga ia ingin menumpahkan bakatnya. Bagi Toshi, denim adalah hidupnya.
Fabrik, fabrik, fabrik.
Toshi-san mengetahui betul apa yang ia lakukan dengan mendesain fabrik dari nol dan ia juga berteman dengan baik dengan siapa yang tahu penyuplai kapas, memintal kapas ke benang, dan menjadikan katun ke fabrik. Semua orang menyukai Toshi-san dan sepertinya industri denim mengetahui dan telah bekerja dengannya. Setelah mempelajari segala hal yang diketahui tentang denim, Toshi-san siap untuk hal baru – setelah 8 tahun, di umur 29, dia mulai merencanakan COTTLE bersama dengan istrinya Yukari, teman sekelasnya di Bunka Fashion College dan seorang desainer profesional aksesoris. Dua tahun selanjutnya, dia membeli pabriknya sendiri. Selama tiga tahun, dengan misinya membangun brand visioner – mencari mesin jahit vintage, mempekerjakan pengrajin, mendesain hardware, menciptakan sample, menciptakan kancing kitsugi-nya sendiri, dan menciptakan denim miliknya sendiri. Di 2018, COTTLE siap diluncurkan – dengan teman Bunka Fashion College lain untuk kerjasama dengannya. Perusahaan yang dijalankan seperti bisnis keluarga dan Denimio merasa sangat diterima ketika kami berkunjung ke COTTLE.
Tim COTTLE: teman dan keluarga
Nama COTTLE didapat dari COTTON x KETTLE (pot). Berdiri sebagai brand yang ingin melihat denim sebagai esensi kehidupan yang tidak bisa lepas dari kehidupan sehari-hari. Denim premium merepresentasikan sebuah kemewahan yang hanya dapat ditemukan dalam hidup sehari-hari. Bila Anda pernah mengetahui atau memiliki COTTLE, Anda sudah pasti mengerti apa yang kami maksud.
UNIFORM FOR LIVING
Kami akan memulai dengan dua model jeans COTTLE dan mari membicarakan denim dan konstruksi. Kami akan menambahkan lebih banyak lagi atasan dari mereka beberapa bulan ke depan.
Kakishibu, sashimi, denim, indigo: COTTLE punya semua
Seperti yang kami katakan sebelumnya, Toshi-san bekerja dengan banyak brand dan membantu mereka untuk membuat fabrik. Kemungkinan besar Anda pernah memakai jeans yang ia ciptakan. Sebelum ia memulai COTTLE, ia bertemu dengan pemilik KAPITAL yang memberi masukan untuk Toshi-san melakukan hal berbeda dari orang lain. Terkadang, Anda harus berpikir out-of-the-box untuk membuat sesuatu yang lebih baik dari yang telah ada.
Toshi-san sangat memperhatikan ratio dan bahan yang ia gunakan untuk fabrik. Dia belajar mengenai warna, tekstur, berat, hitungan benang, dan lain-lain hingga ia mendapatkan fabrik denim pertamanya. Fabrik pertamanya adalah denim yang dipintal oleh mesin yang disebut W-width. Dengan 90% katun dan 10% hemp, menjadi fabrik 14 oz (part no. CTL-5524). Tapi fabrik katun hempnya tidak membuat dia puas, lalu dia mulai dari pertama lagi!
Tekstur neppy, pewarna terbaik
Ia ingin fabrik yang lebih ringan dan dapat dipakai setiap hari. Dengan fabrik berat 12 oz, denim khas mereka (CTL-3450) yang memiliki 91% katun dan 9% linen. Bila Anda pernah memegang denim mereka, pasti Anda tidak bisa berhenti menyentuhnya. Fabrik COTTLE punya kelembutan fabrik yang dibuat tangan – sebuah unsur elegan yang khusus dan dengan semua nep yang muncul, sebuah rasa tak lengkap. Semua dikarenakan benang yang COTTLE gunakan: linen yang nepy dan katun yang di-twist menjadi benang. Rasio yang tepat sangat dibutuhkan dan linen yang kurang dari 1 persen (dari 10% ke 9%) memberi perbedaan yang signifikan. Jahitan yang longgar membuat jeans sangat nyaman dan memberi tekstur khas. Fabrik yang sangat lembut dan karena materialnya, ada stretch yang alami darinya. Banyaknya fabrik yang dapat diproduksi dalam satu waktu sangat terbatas dan bergantung pada cuaca pula. Shuttle looms lawas merupakan mesin yang tricky untuk dioperasikan dan ketika udara terlalu lembab, mereka tidak bisa bekerja karena benang linen-cotton menjadi terlalu tebal saat lembab.
Weft dengan ketidakrataan terbaik
Pewarna yang mereka gunakan pun juga spesial. Warna indigonya melahirkan warna jeans yang sangat mirip dengan batch denim pertama yang pernah dibuat (percayalah, Toshi-san tahu apa yang ia lakukan). Warna yang menarik merupakan apresiasinya terhadap hal yang ada dan yang akan datang. Ada rahasia pada warna ini. Ada satu tempat yang dikenal sebagai ‘sekolah terkecil Jepang’, Institut Kurashiki Honten Teori.
Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute
Hanya perempuan yang boleh masuk ke sekolah disini dan menciptakan berbagai hal selama setahun. Mereka belajar semua hal – akan kayanya pengetahuan dan filosofi hidup dari pemintalan dan pewarnaan benang. Tradisi di tempat ini telah dibuat secara mendetail dan dijaga di Kurashiki. Toshi-san berhasil menghubungi Kepala Sekolah, Professor Ishigami, untuk berkolaborasi bersama membuat fabrik. Dari kolaborasi ini, mereka bekerja untuk berinovasi dalam pembuatan fabrik manual ke pakaian dan aksesoris modern. COTTLE menjadi jembatan antara sejarah, tradisi dan fashion modern.
Tradisi Lawas Jepang
Mereka membuat pewarna yang memiliki tumbuhan indigo dan pewarna helai alami untuk menciptakan tone denim yang sangat unik. Benang diwarna dengan tangan dan resep pewarna dengan helai daun ini telah ada di Institut Kurashiki Honten Teori berabad-abad telah ada – tingkat eksklusif pewarna ini melebihi yang pernah ada. Tingkat kesusahan untuk menciptakan fabrik ini hanya dapat dibandingkan oleh fabrik AIZOME – dan bila Anda bandingkan harga fabrik AIZOME dengan ini, Anda bisa paham dengan kualitas yang ditawarkan COTTLE dan harga yang diberikan.
Selvedge ID COTTLE sangat menarik – berdasar pada desain Seni Rakyat Jepang yang Toshi-san temukan di arsip Institut Kurashiki. Pattern unik – selvedge ID yang paling menarik dari yang pernah kami lihat, memberi kontras terbaik terhadap pewarna indigo x helai daun. Selvedge Indian Red diwarna tangan dan bisa Anda temukan pada resleting celana dan kantong poket.
Selvedge ID dalam Indian Red, sesuai gaya Jepang lama
Patch kulit memiliki fitur yang berbentuk unik dan menyerupai pulau cinta yang ada di laut Seto. Panorama pulau-pulau Seto, yang bisa dilihat dari Kojima, berbentuk bundar, dan pulau-pulau kecil yang terkesan ‘mengapung’ diatas laut. Toshi-san mendesain patch ini ketika istrinya tinggal bersamanya, pindah dari Yokohama. Hal yang sangat personal – tapi Anda dapat melihat apa arti setiap benda yang ia desain dan COTTLE baginya.
The best leather quality; a design inspired by nature
Satu hal lagi yang perlu Anda perhatikan: kancing yang paling atas. Tidak seperti brand-brand lain, yang memesan hardware dari supplier besar (juga berkualitas tinggi, bukan hal yang buruk tentu saja), COTTLE menggapai lebih jauh dari itu. Sebagian besar kancing di-press dengan mesin besar tapi COTTLE mencetak sendiri kancing mereka. Mereka menuangkan besi cair ke cetakan, teknik yang kuno yang juga digunakan untuk membuat patung Buddha. Detail yang mereka kerjakan memberikan kesan mendalam ditambah lagi permukaan yang halus – bukti dikerjakan oleh pengrajin handal. Pattern yang digunakan memiliki simbol lingkaran yang tertumpuk dan berhubungan, diukir 3D dengan cetakan terbaik. Lihat lebih dekat, lingkaran yang tertumpuk dibuat sehingga lingkaran dapat tertambat bersamaan – kancingnya pun sebuah pekerjaan seni bagi COTTLE.
Cetakan besi dengan tangan: Kancing dengan hardware terbaik
Banyak sekali detail yang COTTLE kerahkan hanya untuk membuat jeans mereka – yang juga terlihat pada cut jeans mereka. Dua cut COTTLE yang kami yakin pasti Anda sukai:
Regular cut dari COTTLE dan memiliki nilai tradisi tinggi! Dengan penutup kancing, rivets tersembunyi, menyerupai pembuatan denim di jaman lama. Memiliki rise yang agak tinggi jadi mereka memberi siluet terbaik dan dapat dipakai dengan kemeja dimasukkan bila Anda menyukainya. Fit relaxed ini sangat nyaman di sekitar pinggang dan bila Anda menyukai fit yang lebar, ini cocok untuk Anda. Toshi-san membuat cut ini dengan riset berbulan-bulan ke dalam arsip berbagai brand, mempelajari cut regular agar semua orang dapat menyukainya.
Versi Non-Wash atau Versi One-Washed
STPT3450: The Straight Cut
Siluet yang lebih ketat daripada cut straightnya, tapi tidak membatasi gerakan. Lagi, Toshi-san dan timnya benar-benar melakukan riset terlebih dahulu untuk menciptakan cut ini. Lebih modern dari cut regular COTTLE dan karenanya memiliki fitur resleting dan tidak ada rivet tersembunyi. Kantong belakangnya diposisikan dekat satu sama lain dan kantong koin ditempatkan lebih ke tengah agar terlihat lebih slim dan lebih nyaman dipakai. Karena high rise ini, jeans terlihat berkelas dan tidak lekang oleh waktu, sebuah alternatif bagi semua yang ingin bagian kaki bawah lebih ketat dan straight tapi tidak menyukai jeans low rise.
Versi Non-Wash atau Versi One-Washed
SSPT3450: The Slim Straight Cut
Kualitas dengan Kelas Terbaik
Kami menawarkan ini dalam denim unsanforised dan akan menyusut setelah soak pertama. Kebanyakan dari kalian pasti sudah mengerti, but it is always good to repeat things.
Bila Anda mencari jens yang berbeda tapi tidak terlalu mencolok, COTTLE bisa jadi brand favorit barumu. Cara mereka membuat jeans sendiri dengan metode khusus sangatlah berkesan bagi kami, ex: membuat pewarna mereka sendiri, memintal benang mereka sendiri, mencetak kancing mereka sendiri. Anda dapat melihat kegigihan mereka untuk membuat pakaian yang bisa menjadi seragam Anda, sebuah kemewahan sehari-hari. Dari momen jeans dikeluarkan dari packaging, salah satu jeans terbaik yang pernah kami sentuh dan kami yakin bisa melihat banyak memori dengan memakai jeans ini.
COTTLE membuat pakaian yang mereka pakai sendiri
Toshi-san pun mengatakan: bila Anda membeli sesuatu dari COTTLE, kami yakin Anda memilih yang terbaik. Anda memilih pakaian yang tidak hanya Anda pakai sehari-hari, Anda juga membantu kami menjadi tradisi Jepang tetap hidup. Thank you very much for choosing COTTLE.
[:zh]人们经常问我们如何选择Denimio品牌。 我们没有解决方案，但是每当我们看到一个品牌在做事上有所不同时，我们都会被它吸引。 要说已经有许多日本牛仔品牌可供选择，这是一种轻描淡写的说法，任何新品牌都将很难进入。 但是，您偶尔会遇到一个品牌，其质量，奉献精神和雄心勃勃； 您只知道它们很特别。 让我们向您介绍COTTLE，以及为什么它们值得您的关注，并且可能很快成为您日常工作制服的主要供应商。
Taking “hand-made” to the next level
使“手工制作”更上一层楼
实际上，COTTLE已经存在了两年。 他们于2015年5月5日在冈山县小岛（众所周知的日本牛仔的发源地）开始了自己的旅程。 该地区是日本纺织业的心脏。 与牛仔布相关的大多数工厂，工厂和染色车间都位于此处。
The COTTLE workshop: A 120 year old factory
COTTLE车间：一家拥有120年历史的工厂
我们在COTTLE中学到的第一件事是他们没有租用办公室，而是购买了一家破旧的纺织工厂并进行了修复。那是120年前的历史，否则将被遗忘。他们还带来了许多旧机械，例如手织机，重新焕发了生命。因为他们不只是将这家旧工厂改造成一个闪亮的办公室和宽敞的工作室，所以，COTTLE仍在这些旧大厅中进行制造。这是一种令人钦佩的方法：他们想创造一种创意流，将思想传达给产品。他们在自己的工作室中考虑设计，然后直接在自己的工厂中完成设计。没有样品等待的时间，它们的灵活性使他们可以按照自己认为合适的任何方式来扭曲和调整设计。他们的车间配备了数十年收集的许多老式缝纫机，以及用于裁剪面料的所有老风格式工具，使他们能够从构思创意到立即制作产品。从字面上看，我们是COTTLE的亲手品牌。
在车间工作
您需要知道，COTTLE由不仅是设计师和商人的人经营，他们本身也是工匠。而他们的产品证明了这一点。 COTTLE是渡边俊昭（Toshiaki Watanabe）的创意，或者我们称之为他，是Toshi-san（很快将接受与该男子的独家采访，所以敬请期待！）。Toshi-san出生于冈山县仓敷市。我们爱上COTTLE的一个主要因素是渡边先生，他的奉献精神和个人哲学是不可抗拒的。他是生活并为优质面料而死的人的化身。
当他还是个孩子的时候，他比所有的朋友和同学都要小，因此经常被人忽视。在他看来，服装是他表达自己和获得认可的唯一途径。但是，买衣服还不足以让渡边先生受益，在初中的二年级时，他决定自己想找一个合适的裁缝，一个真正的工匠，并且变得足够熟练，才能制造出能让人们开心并给他们信心的产品。关于渡边先生的重要事情是他要坚持下去。如果这个人有远见，他将不懈努力，直到成为现实。
渡边先生在检查牛仔布的深浅度
当他18岁时，他成为旅途中的手工艺人，在合适的工作室学习了旧式风格的着装和西服制作技巧。 但是，仅仅知道如何制作服装还不够，他知道自己不想仅仅遵循别人的设计，他需要能够自己创造新的形状和形式。 于是，他就读于著名的文化服装学院在东京研究设计。 正是在这个时候，渡边先生正是在那段时间里，藤井先生发现了冈山对我们牛仔品牌所扮演的角色。 他了解到，他的家乡是世界一流牛仔布的圣地。 当他21岁从东京回到家中时，他开始在小岛从事纺织品生产规划和制造工作
设计和制造：全部在内部完成
当他年轻的时候，他并没有重视起来，但现在他明白了：他年轻时的声音是老牛仔布织机的咔嗒声，节奏决定由人推着缝纫机的踏板咔嗒声 。 这是地球上唯一的地方，牛仔布遮盖了一切，牛仔布是日常生活中最普遍的物品，他意识到自己想成为其中的一份子，将对这个地方的感觉注入到产品中 。 对于渡边来说，牛仔布是一种爱。
织物, 织物, 织物
渡边先生在从头开始设计面料方面非常精通，并且他知道合适的人来采购棉花，纺纱和编织面料。 每个人都喜欢渡边先生，似乎牛仔行业中的每个人都在某个时候与他合作。 在学习了所有需要学习的东西之后，他为下一步做好了准备：29岁的他8年后，开始与妻子由香里（Bunka时装学院的同学和专业配饰设计师）一起设计COTTLE。 又过了两年，他买了自己的工厂。三年来，他采购更多的机器，雇佣工人，设计硬件，制作样品，开发他们自己的 kintsugi 纽扣，并创造自己的牛仔布。 在2018年，他准备好了：他要求邦卡时装学院的另一位同学加入他的行列，并推出COTTLE。 这家公司就像一家家庭作坊一样运作，当我们参观他们的老厂时，我们立即感到宾至如归。
COTTLE背后的团队：一家亲朋好友
COTTLE代表COTTON x KETTLE（锅）。 它代表了将牛仔布视为一种家庭用品的愿望，这是必不可少的。 高级牛仔布代表某种奢侈品，潜伏在休闲日常生活中。 通过他们的产品，我们知道他们的意思。
统一生活
我们将从COTTLE的两个裤型开始，现在是时候讨论牛仔布和结构了。 我们将在未来几个月内增加他们的上衣。
Kakishibu, sashiko，牛仔布，靛蓝：COTTLE拥有一切
如前所述，Toshi-san与许多品牌合作，并帮助他们开发面料。 您很有可能会穿上一条由他部分制作的牛仔布制成的牛仔裤。 在开始COTTLE之前，他会见了KAPITAL总裁，他告诉他采取不同的做法。 有时候，你需要考虑的框细化的东西，已经是非常不错的外线。
Toshi-san一直很关心面料的混合比例和材料。 他研究的颜色，质地，重量，纱线支数，等等，直到他终于得到了他的第一个牛仔面料。 他的第一个牛仔布是由称为W-width的剑杆织机织成的织物。 它由90％的棉和10％的麻组成。 它确定在14oz（部件号CTL-5524）。 但是，麻棉织物无法完全说服他，所以他从头开始……再次！
多么细腻的质地，多么神奇的染料
他想要一种可以全年穿着的轻便面料。这款标志性的牛仔布（CTL-3450）的重量为12盎司，可以做到这一点。它由91％棉和9％亚麻组成。如果您触摸过他们的牛仔布，您会感到惊讶。它具有手工编织织物的柔软性，一定的优雅度，然而，由于所有棉结都穿过表面，这种不完整的感觉。一切都顺着纱线：结实的亚麻和棉被捻成单线。正确的比例至关重要，亚麻的减少百分之一（从10％到9％）将使一切都变得不同。宽松的编织使牛仔裤非常透气，并增加了质感。这是一种令人难以置信的光滑面料，而且由于采用了这种材料，因此具有天然的弹性。一次可以生产的织物数量有限，并且还取决于天气。旧的梭织机是多变的机器，当湿度太高时，它们不能与亚麻棉纱一起使用，亚麻棉纱在潮湿时会变得很粗。只需看一下所有织机破碎的纬纱结构，即可了解：
所有不规则的纬线
甚至这种织物的染料都是特殊的。 靛蓝色调忠实地再现了第一批日本粗斜纹棉布牛仔裤的颜色(相信我们，渡边先生知道这些事情)。 充满活力的颜色，让人想起了旧新精神，美丽的靛蓝色彩。 但是这种颜色有一个秘密。 仓敷本田研究所有一个叫做“日本最小的学校”的地方。
仓敷本田哲理研究所
只允许女性在这里学习一年并创造事物。 他们通过染色和编织纱线了解生活的丰富性和智慧。 这个地方的传统是在仓敷精心创建和保护的。 渡边先生与学校负责人Ishigami教授取得联系，共同合作开发面料。 总之，他们一直在努力重塑手工编织成现代的衣服和配件。 COTTLE是历史，传统与现代时尚之间的桥梁。
古代日本传统
他们开发了一种包含靛蓝和天然花瓣染料的染料，以创造出真正独特而卓越的牛仔布色调。 纱线是手工染色的，花瓣染料是仓敷本田Teori研究所的百年历史配方，不允许任何其他品牌使用。 它没有得到比这个更为独特。 这种织物的手工劳动量只能与AIZOME织物相抗衡-如果您将AIZOME织物的价格与之相比，您将了解COTTLE物超所值。
镶边ID真正脱颖而出。 它是基于日本民间艺术的老设计，都市-SAN在仓敷研究所的档案中发现。 图案独特。这是我们见过的最出色的镶边ID，与靛蓝x花瓣染色的牛仔布形成鲜明对比。 印度红布边是手工染色的，您会在飞行中和硬币袋中找到此布边ID。
印度红的镶边ID，基于旧的日本模式
以下是三个简短的视频供您查看印度红线的制作方法：
皮革贴片具有真正不寻常的形状，并描绘了濑户内海的美丽岛屿。 从小岛看，濑户诸岛的景观是圆形的，罂粟岛漂浮在海中。 渡边先生在妻子从横滨一直搬到与他住在一起时设计了这个补丁。 这是个人风格，但这只是向您显示了渡边先生实际上在其产品中铭刻了多少。
最好的皮革质量； 受自然启发的设计
值得您注意的最后一件事：腰部按钮。 与许多品牌从大型供应商那里订购硬件（质量高，不要误会我们）不同，COTTLE更加努力。 大多数按钮是在大型机器上按下的，但是COTTLE铸造他，们自己的按钮。 他们将熔化的铁倒入模具中，这是一种古老的技术，也用于佛像之类的东西。 他们可以通过这种方式实现的细节量令人震惊，并且表面极其光滑。 这些按钮中的每个按钮都是由熟练的工匠制作的。 该图案显示出重叠的和连接的圆圈，并用可以铸造的最精细的线条进行三维雕刻。 仔细观察，创建重叠的圆，这样的圆圈停留在顶部和底部。 仅按钮就是一件艺术品。
手工铸铁：这些按钮是下一个硬件
即使这些牛仔裤的最小细节，我们也无法强调多少工作。 这也反映在他们的剪裁上。 COTTLE提供了两种切割方式，我们确信其中一种会符合您的喜好：
1. C.T.L STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA
这是他们的常规剪裁，充满传统！ 它带有纽扣门襟和隐藏式铆钉，让人想起过去的牛仔布制作。 它们具有较高的腰围，因此它们将给人以绝佳的轮廓，并且可以根据需要将其塞入衬衫中。 这种宽松的款式在腰部非常舒适，如果您适合各种穿搭，那么这种款式肯定会让您感到高兴。 Toshi-san已在各个品牌的档案库中花费了数月的时间，研究其定期剪裁，以创建每个人都可以享受的剪裁。
点击这里购买未水洗版或已水洗版
Click here to buy Non-Washed Version or One-Washed Version
STPT3450：直筒剪裁
2. C.T.L SLIM STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA (INDIAN RED)
与常规的直筒相比，它的轮廓略紧一些，但绝不是限制的。 再次，渡边先生和他的团队竭尽全力创造了这种剪裁。 它比COTTLE的常规剪裁更现代，因此具有不同的功能，例如拉链飞边和无隐藏的铆钉。 后袋靠得更近，硬币袋朝中间移动，以增加纤巧的外观，穿着非常舒适。 得益于高腰牛仔裤，牛仔裤看起来既经典又永恒，对于想穿紧身但又不喜欢低腰牛仔裤的人来说，牛仔裤可能是一种选择。
点击这里购买未水洗版或已水洗版
Click here to buy Non Wash Version or One-Washed Version
SSPT3450：超薄直筒剪裁
纯粹阶级
我们以坚硬的刚性提供这些，并且您知道，未渗透的牛仔布在第一次浸泡后会收缩很多。 大多数时候，你知道该怎么做，但它是一件好事，重复的事情。
如果你正在市场上寻找一双不同但看起来不浮夸的牛仔裤，那么COTTLE应该是你的新宠。 他们用真正独特的方法在公司内部制作牛仔裤的方式简直太棒了，比如创造自己的染料，纺自己的纱线，铸自己的纽扣。 你可以看出，他们是下定决心要创造你的生活制服，日常的奢侈品在其最纯粹的形式。 他们的牛仔裤直接从盒子里拿出来看起来很棒，但是他们的设计是为了穿起来更好。 而且这些牛仔裤非常漂亮，我们相信它们会经常穿的。
COTTLE 不制作他们自己不会穿的衣服
渡边先生本人说：如果你从 COTTLE 买东西，我们相信你选对了。 你发现了一件只有你自己才能穿上的东西，同时，你也保留了日本的古老传统。 非常感谢您选择COTTLE。[:de]People often ask us how we choose brands for Denimio. We do not have a formula for this but whenever we see a brand that does things a little bit differently, we are intrigued. To say that there are already many Japanese denim brands to choose from, would be an understatement and any new brand will have a tough time to make an entry. However, every once in a while you encounter a brand bursting with quality, dedication, and ambition; you just know that they are special. Let us introduce you to COTTLE and why they are more than worthy of your attention and might soon be your main supplier of uniforms for everyday living.
Taking “hand-made” to the next level
COTTLE has actually been around for a couple of years. They began their journey on May 5, 2015, in Kojima, in the Okayama Prefecture, widely known as the birthplace of Japanese denim. This region is the very heart of the Japanese textile industry. Most of the factories, mills, and dyeing workshops associated with denim are located here.
The COTTLE workshop: A 120 year old factory
The first beautiful thing we learned about COTTLE is that they didn’t rent offices, they bought an old, run-down textile factory and restored it. That is 120 years of history that would otherwise have been lost. They also brought a lot of old machinery, like hand-looms, back to life. Because they did not just transform this old factory into a shiny office and spacious studio, no, COTTLE still manufactures in these old halls. It’s an admirable approach: They wanted to create a flow of creativity that transmits ideas to products. They think of a design in their studio and then directly get it done in their very own factory. There is no waiting time for samples and their flexibility allows them to twist and tweak their designs in any way they see fit. Their workshop is equipped with many vintage sewing machines, collected over decades, and all the old school tools for cutting the fabrics, to allow them to go from creating an idea to crafting a product instantly. We love COTTLE for being, literally, a hand-on brand.
Putting the work in workshop
You need to know that COTTLE is run by people who are not just designers and marketers, they are craftsmen themselves. And their products are a testament to that. COTTLE is the brainchild of Toshiaki Watanabe, or, as we call him, Toshi-san (there is going to be an exclusive interview with the man soon, so keep your eyes peeled!).Toshi-san was born in Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture. A major factor for us falling in love with COTTLE is Toshi-san whose dedication and personal philosophy are irresistible. He is the embodiment of someone who lives and dies for good fabrics.
When he was a child, he was smaller than all his friends and classmates and was often overlooked because of that. Clothing, it seemed to him, was the only way for him to express himself and being recognized. But buying clothing was not enough for Toshi-san and in the second year of junior high school, he decided that he wanted to a proper tailor, a true craftsman and become skilled enough to make products that would make people happy and give them confidence. The important thing about Toshi-san is that he follows through. If this man has a vision, he will work relentlessly until it becomes a reality.
Toshi-san checking different shades of denim
When he turned 18 he became a traveling craftsman on the road, learned old school dress- and suit-making techniques in proper ateliers. But knowing how to make clothing was not enough, he knew that he didn’t want to just follow the designs of other people, he needed to be able to create new shapes and forms himself. So he enrolled in the prestigious Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo to study design. It was during that time that Toshi-san discovered the role that Okayama plays for us denimheads. He learned that his hometown is a sacred place for world-class denim. When he returned home from Tokyo at the age of 21, he began working in Kojima in textile production planning and manufacturing.
Design and manufacturing: all done in-house
When he was younger, he didn’t pay attention to it, but now he understood: the sound of his youth was the rattling sound of old denim-looms, a rhythm dictated by the clicking sound of people pushing the pedals of their sewing machines. It is the only place on earth, were everything is overshadowed by denim, where denim is the most omnipresent item in everyday life and he realized that he wanted to be a part of it, to pour the love he feels for this place into a product. For Toshi, denim is a labor of love.
fabrics, fabrics, fabrics
Toshi-san is insanely knowledgeable when it comes to designing fabrics from scratch and he knows the right people to source the cotton, spin the yarn and weave the fabric. Everyone loves Toshi-san and it seems like everyone in the denim industry has worked with him at some point. After learning everything there was to learn, he was ready for the next step: After 8 years, at the age of 29, he started planning COTTLE together with his wife Yukari, a classmate at Bunka Fashion College and professional accessory designer. Another two years later, he bought his own factory. For three years he sources more machines, hires workers, designs hardware, creates samples, develops their very own kintsugi buttons, and creates his very own denim. In 2018, he is ready: He asks another classmate from Bunka Fashion College to join him and launch COTTLE. This company is run like a family workshop and we instantly felt right at home with them when we visited their old factory.
the team behind COTTLE: A family and friends operation
COTTLE stands for COTTON x KETTLE (pot). It stands for the desire to see denim as a household good, something that is essential. Premium denim represents a certain kind of luxury, the luxury that lurks in casual everyday life. Having handled their products, we know what they mean.
UNIFORM FOR LIVING
We will start with two models from COTTLE and now it’s time to talk about denim and construction. We will add their tops in the coming months.
Kakishibu, sashiko, denim, indigo: COTTLE has it all
As we have mentioned before, Toshi-san has worked with a lot of brands and helped them to develop fabrics. There is a good chance that you are wearing a pair of jeans made from denim that he in part crafted. Before he started COTTLE, he met with the president of KAPITAL who told him to do things differently. Sometimes, you need to think outside the box to refine something that is already very good.
Toshi-san has always cared about the mix ratio and materials for his fabrics. He studied color, texture, weight, yarn count, etc. until he finally got his first denim fabric. His first denim was da fabric woven by a rapier weaving machine called W-width. It consisted of 90% cotton and 10% hemp. It clocked in at 14oz (part number CTL-5524). However, the hemp cotton fabric didn’t convince him fully, so he started from scratch… again!
What a neppy texture, what an amazing dye
He wanted a lighter fabric that could be worn all year. At 12oz, their signature denim (CTL-3450) does precisely that. It consists of 91% cotton and 9% linen. If you ever touch their denim, you will be surprised. It has the softness of hand-woven fabrics, a certain elegance, and, yet, with all the nep coming through at the surface, this feeling of incompleteness. It all comes down the yarn: The neppy linen and cotton are twisted into a single thread. The right ratio is crucial and the one percent less linen (from 10% to 9%) makes all the difference. The loose weaving makes the jeans very breathable and adds texture. It is an incredibly smooth fabric and thanks to the material, there is a natural stretch to it. The amount of fabric that can be produced at one time is limited and depends on the weather too. The old shuttle looms are fickle machines and when it is too humid, they cannot work with the linen-cotton yarn which becomes very thick when damp. Just look at the weft structure with all the loom shatter to get an idea:
the weft in all its irregular glory
And even the dye of this fabric is special. The indigo shade faithfully reproduces the color of the jeans of the first batch of Japanese denim (trust us, Toshi-san knows these kinds of things). The vibrant color is reminiscent of the beautiful indigo color that has the spirit of the old and new. But there is a secret to this color. There is a place called “the smallest school in Japan”, the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute.
Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute
Only women are allowed to study there and create things while staying for a year. They learn of the richness and wisdom of life through dyed and woven yarn. The traditions of this place have been carefully created and protected in Kurashiki. Toshi-san got in touch with the Director of the school, Professor Ishigami, to collaborate on fabrics together. Together, they have been working to reinvent hand-woven fabrics into modern clothes and accessories. COTTLE serves as a bridge between history and tradition and modern fashion.
Ancient Japanese Traditions
They developed a dye containing indigo and natural petal dye to create a denim tone that is truly unique and outstanding. The yarn is dyed by hand and the petal dye is a century-old recipe of the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute and no other brand is allowed to use it. It does not get much more exclusive than this. The amount of manual labor that goes into this fabric is only rivaled by AIZOME fabrics – and if you compare the price of AIZOME fabrics to this, you understand that COTTLE offers and outstanding value for money.
The selvedge ID really stands out. It is based on old designs of Japanese Folk Art that Toshi-san found in the archives of the Kurashiki Institute. The pattern is unique It is the most outstanding selvedge ID that we have ever seen, which gives a great contrast against the indigo x petal dyed denim. The Indian red selvedge is dyed by hand and you will find this selvedge ID at the fly AND the coin pocket.
Selvedge ID in indian red, based on old Japanese patterns
Here are three short videos for you to see how the Indian red thread is made:
The leather patch features a truly unusual shape and depicts the lovely islands in the Seto inland sea. The landscape of the Seto islands, seen from Kojima, is round, and a poppy Island “floats” in the sea. Toshi-san designed this patch when his wife moved to live with him, moving all the way from Yokohama. It is a personal touch, but it just shows you how much of Toshi-san is actually inscribed into his products.
The best leather quality; a design inspired by nature
One last thing that deserves your attention: The top button. Unlike many brands, who order their hardware from big suppliers (which are great quality, don’t get us wrong), COTTLE goes the extra mile. Most buttons are pressed in big machines, but COTTLE cast their buttons. They pour the melted iron into a mold, which is an ancient technique that is also used for things such as Buddha statues. The amount of detail they can achieve this way is staggering and the surface is extremely smooth. Every single one of these buttons is made by a skilled craftsman. The pattern shows overlapping and connecting circles, three-dimensionally carved with the finest lines that can be cast. Take a close look, the overlapping circles are created so that the circles are stuck on top and bottom. The button alone is a work of art.
Iron cast by hand: These buttons are next level hardware
We cannot stress enough how much work goes into even the smallest detail of these jeans. That is also reflected in their cuts. COTTLE offers two cuts and we are sure that one of them will be to your liking:
1. C.T.L STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA
This is their regular cut and it is packed with tradition! It comes with a button fly and hidden rivets, reminiscent of the denim making of the old days. They have a fairly high rise, so that they will give a great silhouette and can be worn with your shirt tucked in if you like. This relaxed fit is very comfortable around the waist and if you are into wide fits, this one will certainly make you happy. Toshi-san has spent months in the archives of various brands, studying their regular cut to create a cut that everyone can enjoy.
Click here to buy Non-Washed Version or One-Washed Version
STPT3450: The Straight Cut
2. C.T.L SLIM STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA (INDIAN RED)
It is a slightly tighter silhouette compared to the regular straight cut, but it is in no way restricting. Again, Toshi-san and his team have gone at great length to create this cut. It is more modern than COTTLE’s regular cut and therefore has different features like a zip fly and no hidden rivets. The back pockets sit closer together and the coin pocket is moved towards the center to enhance a slim look that is very comfortable to wear. Thanks to the high rise, the jeans look classy and timeless, and might be an alternative for everyone who wants a tight straight leg but is not a fan of a low rise.
Click here to buy Non Wash Version or One-Washed Version
SSPT3450: The Slim Straight Cut
pure class
We offer these in a solid rigid state and as you know, unsanforised denim shrinks quite a bit after the first soak. Most of you know the drill, but it is always good to repeat things.
If you are in the market for a pair of eans that is different without looking flashy, COTTLE should be your new favorite brand. The way they make their jeans in-house with truly unique methods is simply spectacular, i.e. creating their own dye, spinning their own yarn, casting their own buttons. You can tell that they are dead-set on creating your uniform for living, everyday luxury in its purest form. Their jeans look amazing straight out of the box, but they are designed to get better with wear. And these jeans are so gorgeous, we are sure they will see plenty of wear.
COTTLE don’t make clothing they wouldn’t wear themselves
Toshi-san himself says: If you bought something from COTTLE, we are confident that you have chosen well. You found an item that only you can bring to life by wearing it and at the same, you are keeping old Japanese traditions alive. Thank you very much for choosing COTTLE.[:es]People often ask us how we choose brands for Denimio. We do not have a formula for this but whenever we see a brand that does things a little bit differently, we are intrigued. To say that there are already many Japanese denim brands to choose from, would be an understatement and any new brand will have a tough time to make an entry. However, every once in a while you encounter a brand bursting with quality, dedication, and ambition; you just know that they are special. Let us introduce you to COTTLE and why they are more than worthy of your attention and might soon be your main supplier of uniforms for everyday living.
Taking “hand-made” to the next level
COTTLE has actually been around for a couple of years. They began their journey on May 5, 2015, in Kojima, in the Okayama Prefecture, widely known as the birthplace of Japanese denim. This region is the very heart of the Japanese textile industry. Most of the factories, mills, and dyeing workshops associated with denim are located here.
The COTTLE workshop: A 120 year old factory
The first beautiful thing we learned about COTTLE is that they didn’t rent offices, they bought an old, run-down textile factory and restored it. That is 120 years of history that would otherwise have been lost. They also brought a lot of old machinery, like hand-looms, back to life. Because they did not just transform this old factory into a shiny office and spacious studio, no, COTTLE still manufactures in these old halls. It’s an admirable approach: They wanted to create a flow of creativity that transmits ideas to products. They think of a design in their studio and then directly get it done in their very own factory. There is no waiting time for samples and their flexibility allows them to twist and tweak their designs in any way they see fit. Their workshop is equipped with many vintage sewing machines, collected over decades, and all the old school tools for cutting the fabrics, to allow them to go from creating an idea to crafting a product instantly. We love COTTLE for being, literally, a hand-on brand.
Putting the work in workshop
You need to know that COTTLE is run by people who are not just designers and marketers, they are craftsmen themselves. And their products are a testament to that. COTTLE is the brainchild of Toshiaki Watanabe, or, as we call him, Toshi-san (there is going to be an exclusive interview with the man soon, so keep your eyes peeled!).Toshi-san was born in Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture. A major factor for us falling in love with COTTLE is Toshi-san whose dedication and personal philosophy are irresistible. He is the embodiment of someone who lives and dies for good fabrics.
When he was a child, he was smaller than all his friends and classmates and was often overlooked because of that. Clothing, it seemed to him, was the only way for him to express himself and being recognized. But buying clothing was not enough for Toshi-san and in the second year of junior high school, he decided that he wanted to a proper tailor, a true craftsman and become skilled enough to make products that would make people happy and give them confidence. The important thing about Toshi-san is that he follows through. If this man has a vision, he will work relentlessly until it becomes a reality.
Toshi-san checking different shades of denim
When he turned 18 he became a traveling craftsman on the road, learned old school dress- and suit-making techniques in proper ateliers. But knowing how to make clothing was not enough, he knew that he didn’t want to just follow the designs of other people, he needed to be able to create new shapes and forms himself. So he enrolled in the prestigious Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo to study design. It was during that time that Toshi-san discovered the role that Okayama plays for us denimheads. He learned that his hometown is a sacred place for world-class denim. When he returned home from Tokyo at the age of 21, he began working in Kojima in textile production planning and manufacturing.
Design and manufacturing: all done in-house
When he was younger, he didn’t pay attention to it, but now he understood: the sound of his youth was the rattling sound of old denim-looms, a rhythm dictated by the clicking sound of people pushing the pedals of their sewing machines. It is the only place on earth, were everything is overshadowed by denim, where denim is the most omnipresent item in everyday life and he realized that he wanted to be a part of it, to pour the love he feels for this place into a product. For Toshi, denim is a labor of love.
fabrics, fabrics, fabrics
Toshi-san is insanely knowledgeable when it comes to designing fabrics from scratch and he knows the right people to source the cotton, spin the yarn and weave the fabric. Everyone loves Toshi-san and it seems like everyone in the denim industry has worked with him at some point. After learning everything there was to learn, he was ready for the next step: After 8 years, at the age of 29, he started planning COTTLE together with his wife Yukari, a classmate at Bunka Fashion College and professional accessory designer. Another two years later, he bought his own factory. For three years he sources more machines, hires workers, designs hardware, creates samples, develops their very own kintsugi buttons, and creates his very own denim. In 2018, he is ready: He asks another classmate from Bunka Fashion College to join him and launch COTTLE. This company is run like a family workshop and we instantly felt right at home with them when we visited their old factory.
the team behind COTTLE: A family and friends operation
COTTLE stands for COTTON x KETTLE (pot). It stands for the desire to see denim as a household good, something that is essential. Premium denim represents a certain kind of luxury, the luxury that lurks in casual everyday life. Having handled their products, we know what they mean.
UNIFORM FOR LIVING
We will start with two models from COTTLE and now it’s time to talk about denim and construction. We will add their tops in the coming months.
Kakishibu, sashiko, denim, indigo: COTTLE has it all
As we have mentioned before, Toshi-san has worked with a lot of brands and helped them to develop fabrics. There is a good chance that you are wearing a pair of jeans made from denim that he in part crafted. Before he started COTTLE, he met with the president of KAPITAL who told him to do things differently. Sometimes, you need to think outside the box to refine something that is already very good.
Toshi-san has always cared about the mix ratio and materials for his fabrics. He studied color, texture, weight, yarn count, etc. until he finally got his first denim fabric. His first denim was da fabric woven by a rapier weaving machine called W-width. It consisted of 90% cotton and 10% hemp. It clocked in at 14oz (part number CTL-5524). However, the hemp cotton fabric didn’t convince him fully, so he started from scratch… again!
What a neppy texture, what an amazing dye
He wanted a lighter fabric that could be worn all year. At 12oz, their signature denim (CTL-3450) does precisely that. It consists of 91% cotton and 9% linen. If you ever touch their denim, you will be surprised. It has the softness of hand-woven fabrics, a certain elegance, and, yet, with all the nep coming through at the surface, this feeling of incompleteness. It all comes down the yarn: The neppy linen and cotton are twisted into a single thread. The right ratio is crucial and the one percent less linen (from 10% to 9%) makes all the difference. The loose weaving makes the jeans very breathable and adds texture. It is an incredibly smooth fabric and thanks to the material, there is a natural stretch to it. The amount of fabric that can be produced at one time is limited and depends on the weather too. The old shuttle looms are fickle machines and when it is too humid, they cannot work with the linen-cotton yarn which becomes very thick when damp. Just look at the weft structure with all the loom shatter to get an idea:
the weft in all its irregular glory
And even the dye of this fabric is special. The indigo shade faithfully reproduces the color of the jeans of the first batch of Japanese denim (trust us, Toshi-san knows these kinds of things). The vibrant color is reminiscent of the beautiful indigo color that has the spirit of the old and new. But there is a secret to this color. There is a place called “the smallest school in Japan”, the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute.
Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute
Only women are allowed to study there and create things while staying for a year. They learn of the richness and wisdom of life through dyed and woven yarn. The traditions of this place have been carefully created and protected in Kurashiki. Toshi-san got in touch with the Director of the school, Professor Ishigami, to collaborate on fabrics together. Together, they have been working to reinvent hand-woven fabrics into modern clothes and accessories. COTTLE serves as a bridge between history and tradition and modern fashion.
Ancient Japanese Traditions
They developed a dye containing indigo and natural petal dye to create a denim tone that is truly unique and outstanding. The yarn is dyed by hand and the petal dye is a century-old recipe of the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute and no other brand is allowed to use it. It does not get much more exclusive than this. The amount of manual labor that goes into this fabric is only rivaled by AIZOME fabrics – and if you compare the price of AIZOME fabrics to this, you understand that COTTLE offers and outstanding value for money.
The selvedge ID really stands out. It is based on old designs of Japanese Folk Art that Toshi-san found in the archives of the Kurashiki Institute. The pattern is unique It is the most outstanding selvedge ID that we have ever seen, which gives a great contrast against the indigo x petal dyed denim. The Indian red selvedge is dyed by hand and you will find this selvedge ID at the fly AND the coin pocket.
Selvedge ID in indian red, based on old Japanese patterns
Here are three short videos for you to see how the Indian red thread is made:
The leather patch features a truly unusual shape and depicts the lovely islands in the Seto inland sea. The landscape of the Seto islands, seen from Kojima, is round, and a poppy Island “floats” in the sea. Toshi-san designed this patch when his wife moved to live with him, moving all the way from Yokohama. It is a personal touch, but it just shows you how much of Toshi-san is actually inscribed into his products.
The best leather quality; a design inspired by nature
One last thing that deserves your attention: The top button. Unlike many brands, who order their hardware from big suppliers (which are great quality, don’t get us wrong), COTTLE goes the extra mile. Most buttons are pressed in big machines, but COTTLE cast their buttons. They pour the melted iron into a mold, which is an ancient technique that is also used for things such as Buddha statues. The amount of detail they can achieve this way is staggering and the surface is extremely smooth. Every single one of these buttons is made by a skilled craftsman. The pattern shows overlapping and connecting circles, three-dimensionally carved with the finest lines that can be cast. Take a close look, the overlapping circles are created so that the circles are stuck on top and bottom. The button alone is a work of art.
Iron cast by hand: These buttons are next level hardware
We cannot stress enough how much work goes into even the smallest detail of these jeans. That is also reflected in their cuts. COTTLE offers two cuts and we are sure that one of them will be to your liking:
1. C.T.L STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA
This is their regular cut and it is packed with tradition! It comes with a button fly and hidden rivets, reminiscent of the denim making of the old days. They have a fairly high rise, so that they will give a great silhouette and can be worn with your shirt tucked in if you like. This relaxed fit is very comfortable around the waist and if you are into wide fits, this one will certainly make you happy. Toshi-san has spent months in the archives of various brands, studying their regular cut to create a cut that everyone can enjoy.
Click here to buy Non-Washed Version or One-Washed Version
STPT3450: The Straight Cut
2. C.T.L SLIM STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA (INDIAN RED)
It is a slightly tighter silhouette compared to the regular straight cut, but it is in no way restricting. Again, Toshi-san and his team have gone at great length to create this cut. It is more modern than COTTLE’s regular cut and therefore has different features like a zip fly and no hidden rivets. The back pockets sit closer together and the coin pocket is moved towards the center to enhance a slim look that is very comfortable to wear. Thanks to the high rise, the jeans look classy and timeless, and might be an alternative for everyone who wants a tight straight leg but is not a fan of a low rise.
Click here to buy Non Wash Version or One-Washed Version
SSPT3450: The Slim Straight Cut
pure class
We offer these in a solid rigid state and as you know, unsanforised denim shrinks quite a bit after the first soak. Most of you know the drill, but it is always good to repeat things.
If you are in the market for a pair of eans that is different without looking flashy, COTTLE should be your new favorite brand. The way they make their jeans in-house with truly unique methods is simply spectacular, i.e. creating their own dye, spinning their own yarn, casting their own buttons. You can tell that they are dead-set on creating your uniform for living, everyday luxury in its purest form. Their jeans look amazing straight out of the box, but they are designed to get better with wear. And these jeans are so gorgeous, we are sure they will see plenty of wear.
COTTLE don’t make clothing they wouldn’t wear themselves
Toshi-san himself says: If you bought something from COTTLE, we are confident that you have chosen well. You found an item that only you can bring to life by wearing it and at the same, you are keeping old Japanese traditions alive. Thank you very much for choosing COTTLE.[:fr]People often ask us how we choose brands for Denimio. We do not have a formula for this but whenever we see a brand that does things a little bit differently, we are intrigued. To say that there are already many Japanese denim brands to choose from, would be an understatement and any new brand will have a tough time to make an entry. However, every once in a while you encounter a brand bursting with quality, dedication, and ambition; you just know that they are special. Let us introduce you to COTTLE and why they are more than worthy of your attention and might soon be your main supplier of uniforms for everyday living.
Taking “hand-made” to the next level
COTTLE has actually been around for a couple of years. They began their journey on May 5, 2015, in Kojima, in the Okayama Prefecture, widely known as the birthplace of Japanese denim. This region is the very heart of the Japanese textile industry. Most of the factories, mills, and dyeing workshops associated with denim are located here.
The COTTLE workshop: A 120 year old factory
The first beautiful thing we learned about COTTLE is that they didn’t rent offices, they bought an old, run-down textile factory and restored it. That is 120 years of history that would otherwise have been lost. They also brought a lot of old machinery, like hand-looms, back to life. Because they did not just transform this old factory into a shiny office and spacious studio, no, COTTLE still manufactures in these old halls. It’s an admirable approach: They wanted to create a flow of creativity that transmits ideas to products. They think of a design in their studio and then directly get it done in their very own factory. There is no waiting time for samples and their flexibility allows them to twist and tweak their designs in any way they see fit. Their workshop is equipped with many vintage sewing machines, collected over decades, and all the old school tools for cutting the fabrics, to allow them to go from creating an idea to crafting a product instantly. We love COTTLE for being, literally, a hand-on brand.
Putting the work in workshop
You need to know that COTTLE is run by people who are not just designers and marketers, they are craftsmen themselves. And their products are a testament to that. COTTLE is the brainchild of Toshiaki Watanabe, or, as we call him, Toshi-san (there is going to be an exclusive interview with the man soon, so keep your eyes peeled!).Toshi-san was born in Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture. A major factor for us falling in love with COTTLE is Toshi-san whose dedication and personal philosophy are irresistible. He is the embodiment of someone who lives and dies for good fabrics.
When he was a child, he was smaller than all his friends and classmates and was often overlooked because of that. Clothing, it seemed to him, was the only way for him to express himself and being recognized. But buying clothing was not enough for Toshi-san and in the second year of junior high school, he decided that he wanted to a proper tailor, a true craftsman and become skilled enough to make products that would make people happy and give them confidence. The important thing about Toshi-san is that he follows through. If this man has a vision, he will work relentlessly until it becomes a reality.
Toshi-san checking different shades of denim
When he turned 18 he became a traveling craftsman on the road, learned old school dress- and suit-making techniques in proper ateliers. But knowing how to make clothing was not enough, he knew that he didn’t want to just follow the designs of other people, he needed to be able to create new shapes and forms himself. So he enrolled in the prestigious Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo to study design. It was during that time that Toshi-san discovered the role that Okayama plays for us denimheads. He learned that his hometown is a sacred place for world-class denim. When he returned home from Tokyo at the age of 21, he began working in Kojima in textile production planning and manufacturing.
Design and manufacturing: all done in-house
When he was younger, he didn’t pay attention to it, but now he understood: the sound of his youth was the rattling sound of old denim-looms, a rhythm dictated by the clicking sound of people pushing the pedals of their sewing machines. It is the only place on earth, were everything is overshadowed by denim, where denim is the most omnipresent item in everyday life and he realized that he wanted to be a part of it, to pour the love he feels for this place into a product. For Toshi, denim is a labor of love.
fabrics, fabrics, fabrics
Toshi-san is insanely knowledgeable when it comes to designing fabrics from scratch and he knows the right people to source the cotton, spin the yarn and weave the fabric. Everyone loves Toshi-san and it seems like everyone in the denim industry has worked with him at some point. After learning everything there was to learn, he was ready for the next step: After 8 years, at the age of 29, he started planning COTTLE together with his wife Yukari, a classmate at Bunka Fashion College and professional accessory designer. Another two years later, he bought his own factory. For three years he sources more machines, hires workers, designs hardware, creates samples, develops their very own kintsugi buttons, and creates his very own denim. In 2018, he is ready: He asks another classmate from Bunka Fashion College to join him and launch COTTLE. This company is run like a family workshop and we instantly felt right at home with them when we visited their old factory.
the team behind COTTLE: A family and friends operation
COTTLE stands for COTTON x KETTLE (pot). It stands for the desire to see denim as a household good, something that is essential. Premium denim represents a certain kind of luxury, the luxury that lurks in casual everyday life. Having handled their products, we know what they mean.
UNIFORM FOR LIVING
We will start with two models from COTTLE and now it’s time to talk about denim and construction. We will add their tops in the coming months.
Kakishibu, sashiko, denim, indigo: COTTLE has it all
As we have mentioned before, Toshi-san has worked with a lot of brands and helped them to develop fabrics. There is a good chance that you are wearing a pair of jeans made from denim that he in part crafted. Before he started COTTLE, he met with the president of KAPITAL who told him to do things differently. Sometimes, you need to think outside the box to refine something that is already very good.
Toshi-san has always cared about the mix ratio and materials for his fabrics. He studied color, texture, weight, yarn count, etc. until he finally got his first denim fabric. His first denim was da fabric woven by a rapier weaving machine called W-width. It consisted of 90% cotton and 10% hemp. It clocked in at 14oz (part number CTL-5524). However, the hemp cotton fabric didn’t convince him fully, so he started from scratch… again!
What a neppy texture, what an amazing dye
He wanted a lighter fabric that could be worn all year. At 12oz, their signature denim (CTL-3450) does precisely that. It consists of 91% cotton and 9% linen. If you ever touch their denim, you will be surprised. It has the softness of hand-woven fabrics, a certain elegance, and, yet, with all the nep coming through at the surface, this feeling of incompleteness. It all comes down the yarn: The neppy linen and cotton are twisted into a single thread. The right ratio is crucial and the one percent less linen (from 10% to 9%) makes all the difference. The loose weaving makes the jeans very breathable and adds texture. It is an incredibly smooth fabric and thanks to the material, there is a natural stretch to it. The amount of fabric that can be produced at one time is limited and depends on the weather too. The old shuttle looms are fickle machines and when it is too humid, they cannot work with the linen-cotton yarn which becomes very thick when damp. Just look at the weft structure with all the loom shatter to get an idea:
the weft in all its irregular glory
And even the dye of this fabric is special. The indigo shade faithfully reproduces the color of the jeans of the first batch of Japanese denim (trust us, Toshi-san knows these kinds of things). The vibrant color is reminiscent of the beautiful indigo color that has the spirit of the old and new. But there is a secret to this color. There is a place called “the smallest school in Japan”, the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute.
Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute
Only women are allowed to study there and create things while staying for a year. They learn of the richness and wisdom of life through dyed and woven yarn. The traditions of this place have been carefully created and protected in Kurashiki. Toshi-san got in touch with the Director of the school, Professor Ishigami, to collaborate on fabrics together. Together, they have been working to reinvent hand-woven fabrics into modern clothes and accessories. COTTLE serves as a bridge between history and tradition and modern fashion.
Ancient Japanese Traditions
They developed a dye containing indigo and natural petal dye to create a denim tone that is truly unique and outstanding. The yarn is dyed by hand and the petal dye is a century-old recipe of the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute and no other brand is allowed to use it. It does not get much more exclusive than this. The amount of manual labor that goes into this fabric is only rivaled by AIZOME fabrics – and if you compare the price of AIZOME fabrics to this, you understand that COTTLE offers and outstanding value for money.
The selvedge ID really stands out. It is based on old designs of Japanese Folk Art that Toshi-san found in the archives of the Kurashiki Institute. The pattern is unique It is the most outstanding selvedge ID that we have ever seen, which gives a great contrast against the indigo x petal dyed denim. The Indian red selvedge is dyed by hand and you will find this selvedge ID at the fly AND the coin pocket.
Selvedge ID in indian red, based on old Japanese patterns
Here are three short videos for you to see how the Indian red thread is made:
The leather patch features a truly unusual shape and depicts the lovely islands in the Seto inland sea. The landscape of the Seto islands, seen from Kojima, is round, and a poppy Island “floats” in the sea. Toshi-san designed this patch when his wife moved to live with him, moving all the way from Yokohama. It is a personal touch, but it just shows you how much of Toshi-san is actually inscribed into his products.
The best leather quality; a design inspired by nature
One last thing that deserves your attention: The top button. Unlike many brands, who order their hardware from big suppliers (which are great quality, don’t get us wrong), COTTLE goes the extra mile. Most buttons are pressed in big machines, but COTTLE cast their buttons. They pour the melted iron into a mold, which is an ancient technique that is also used for things such as Buddha statues. The amount of detail they can achieve this way is staggering and the surface is extremely smooth. Every single one of these buttons is made by a skilled craftsman. The pattern shows overlapping and connecting circles, three-dimensionally carved with the finest lines that can be cast. Take a close look, the overlapping circles are created so that the circles are stuck on top and bottom. The button alone is a work of art.
Iron cast by hand: These buttons are next level hardware
We cannot stress enough how much work goes into even the smallest detail of these jeans. That is also reflected in their cuts. COTTLE offers two cuts and we are sure that one of them will be to your liking:
1. C.T.L STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA
This is their regular cut and it is packed with tradition! It comes with a button fly and hidden rivets, reminiscent of the denim making of the old days. They have a fairly high rise, so that they will give a great silhouette and can be worn with your shirt tucked in if you like. This relaxed fit is very comfortable around the waist and if you are into wide fits, this one will certainly make you happy. Toshi-san has spent months in the archives of various brands, studying their regular cut to create a cut that everyone can enjoy.
Click here to buy Non-Washed Version or One-Washed Version
STPT3450: The Straight Cut
2. C.T.L SLIM STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA (INDIAN RED)
It is a slightly tighter silhouette compared to the regular straight cut, but it is in no way restricting. Again, Toshi-san and his team have gone at great length to create this cut. It is more modern than COTTLE’s regular cut and therefore has different features like a zip fly and no hidden rivets. The back pockets sit closer together and the coin pocket is moved towards the center to enhance a slim look that is very comfortable to wear. Thanks to the high rise, the jeans look classy and timeless, and might be an alternative for everyone who wants a tight straight leg but is not a fan of a low rise.
Click here to buy Non Wash Version or One-Washed Version
SSPT3450: The Slim Straight Cut
pure class
We offer these in a solid rigid state and as you know, unsanforised denim shrinks quite a bit after the first soak. Most of you know the drill, but it is always good to repeat things.
If you are in the market for a pair of eans that is different without looking flashy, COTTLE should be your new favorite brand. The way they make their jeans in-house with truly unique methods is simply spectacular, i.e. creating their own dye, spinning their own yarn, casting their own buttons. You can tell that they are dead-set on creating your uniform for living, everyday luxury in its purest form. Their jeans look amazing straight out of the box, but they are designed to get better with wear. And these jeans are so gorgeous, we are sure they will see plenty of wear.
COTTLE don’t make clothing they wouldn’t wear themselves
Toshi-san himself says: If you bought something from COTTLE, we are confident that you have chosen well. You found an item that only you can bring to life by wearing it and at the same, you are keeping old Japanese traditions alive. Thank you very much for choosing COTTLE.[:it]People often ask us how we choose brands for Denimio. We do not have a formula for this but whenever we see a brand that does things a little bit differently, we are intrigued. To say that there are already many Japanese denim brands to choose from, would be an understatement and any new brand will have a tough time to make an entry. However, every once in a while you encounter a brand bursting with quality, dedication, and ambition; you just know that they are special. Let us introduce you to COTTLE and why they are more than worthy of your attention and might soon be your main supplier of uniforms for everyday living.
Taking “hand-made” to the next level
COTTLE has actually been around for a couple of years. They began their journey on May 5, 2015, in Kojima, in the Okayama Prefecture, widely known as the birthplace of Japanese denim. This region is the very heart of the Japanese textile industry. Most of the factories, mills, and dyeing workshops associated with denim are located here.
The COTTLE workshop: A 120 year old factory
The first beautiful thing we learned about COTTLE is that they didn’t rent offices, they bought an old, run-down textile factory and restored it. That is 120 years of history that would otherwise have been lost. They also brought a lot of old machinery, like hand-looms, back to life. Because they did not just transform this old factory into a shiny office and spacious studio, no, COTTLE still manufactures in these old halls. It’s an admirable approach: They wanted to create a flow of creativity that transmits ideas to products. They think of a design in their studio and then directly get it done in their very own factory. There is no waiting time for samples and their flexibility allows them to twist and tweak their designs in any way they see fit. Their workshop is equipped with many vintage sewing machines, collected over decades, and all the old school tools for cutting the fabrics, to allow them to go from creating an idea to crafting a product instantly. We love COTTLE for being, literally, a hand-on brand.
Putting the work in workshop
You need to know that COTTLE is run by people who are not just designers and marketers, they are craftsmen themselves. And their products are a testament to that. COTTLE is the brainchild of Toshiaki Watanabe, or, as we call him, Toshi-san (there is going to be an exclusive interview with the man soon, so keep your eyes peeled!).Toshi-san was born in Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture. A major factor for us falling in love with COTTLE is Toshi-san whose dedication and personal philosophy are irresistible. He is the embodiment of someone who lives and dies for good fabrics.
When he was a child, he was smaller than all his friends and classmates and was often overlooked because of that. Clothing, it seemed to him, was the only way for him to express himself and being recognized. But buying clothing was not enough for Toshi-san and in the second year of junior high school, he decided that he wanted to a proper tailor, a true craftsman and become skilled enough to make products that would make people happy and give them confidence. The important thing about Toshi-san is that he follows through. If this man has a vision, he will work relentlessly until it becomes a reality.
Toshi-san checking different shades of denim
When he turned 18 he became a traveling craftsman on the road, learned old school dress- and suit-making techniques in proper ateliers. But knowing how to make clothing was not enough, he knew that he didn’t want to just follow the designs of other people, he needed to be able to create new shapes and forms himself. So he enrolled in the prestigious Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo to study design. It was during that time that Toshi-san discovered the role that Okayama plays for us denimheads. He learned that his hometown is a sacred place for world-class denim. When he returned home from Tokyo at the age of 21, he began working in Kojima in textile production planning and manufacturing.
Design and manufacturing: all done in-house
When he was younger, he didn’t pay attention to it, but now he understood: the sound of his youth was the rattling sound of old denim-looms, a rhythm dictated by the clicking sound of people pushing the pedals of their sewing machines. It is the only place on earth, were everything is overshadowed by denim, where denim is the most omnipresent item in everyday life and he realized that he wanted to be a part of it, to pour the love he feels for this place into a product. For Toshi, denim is a labor of love.
fabrics, fabrics, fabrics
Toshi-san is insanely knowledgeable when it comes to designing fabrics from scratch and he knows the right people to source the cotton, spin the yarn and weave the fabric. Everyone loves Toshi-san and it seems like everyone in the denim industry has worked with him at some point. After learning everything there was to learn, he was ready for the next step: After 8 years, at the age of 29, he started planning COTTLE together with his wife Yukari, a classmate at Bunka Fashion College and professional accessory designer. Another two years later, he bought his own factory. For three years he sources more machines, hires workers, designs hardware, creates samples, develops their very own kintsugi buttons, and creates his very own denim. In 2018, he is ready: He asks another classmate from Bunka Fashion College to join him and launch COTTLE. This company is run like a family workshop and we instantly felt right at home with them when we visited their old factory.
the team behind COTTLE: A family and friends operation
COTTLE stands for COTTON x KETTLE (pot). It stands for the desire to see denim as a household good, something that is essential. Premium denim represents a certain kind of luxury, the luxury that lurks in casual everyday life. Having handled their products, we know what they mean.
UNIFORM FOR LIVING
We will start with two models from COTTLE and now it’s time to talk about denim and construction. We will add their tops in the coming months.
Kakishibu, sashiko, denim, indigo: COTTLE has it all
As we have mentioned before, Toshi-san has worked with a lot of brands and helped them to develop fabrics. There is a good chance that you are wearing a pair of jeans made from denim that he in part crafted. Before he started COTTLE, he met with the president of KAPITAL who told him to do things differently. Sometimes, you need to think outside the box to refine something that is already very good.
Toshi-san has always cared about the mix ratio and materials for his fabrics. He studied color, texture, weight, yarn count, etc. until he finally got his first denim fabric. His first denim was da fabric woven by a rapier weaving machine called W-width. It consisted of 90% cotton and 10% hemp. It clocked in at 14oz (part number CTL-5524). However, the hemp cotton fabric didn’t convince him fully, so he started from scratch… again!
What a neppy texture, what an amazing dye
He wanted a lighter fabric that could be worn all year. At 12oz, their signature denim (CTL-3450) does precisely that. It consists of 91% cotton and 9% linen. If you ever touch their denim, you will be surprised. It has the softness of hand-woven fabrics, a certain elegance, and, yet, with all the nep coming through at the surface, this feeling of incompleteness. It all comes down the yarn: The neppy linen and cotton are twisted into a single thread. The right ratio is crucial and the one percent less linen (from 10% to 9%) makes all the difference. The loose weaving makes the jeans very breathable and adds texture. It is an incredibly smooth fabric and thanks to the material, there is a natural stretch to it. The amount of fabric that can be produced at one time is limited and depends on the weather too. The old shuttle looms are fickle machines and when it is too humid, they cannot work with the linen-cotton yarn which becomes very thick when damp. Just look at the weft structure with all the loom shatter to get an idea:
the weft in all its irregular glory
And even the dye of this fabric is special. The indigo shade faithfully reproduces the color of the jeans of the first batch of Japanese denim (trust us, Toshi-san knows these kinds of things). The vibrant color is reminiscent of the beautiful indigo color that has the spirit of the old and new. But there is a secret to this color. There is a place called “the smallest school in Japan”, the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute.
Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute
Only women are allowed to study there and create things while staying for a year. They learn of the richness and wisdom of life through dyed and woven yarn. The traditions of this place have been carefully created and protected in Kurashiki. Toshi-san got in touch with the Director of the school, Professor Ishigami, to collaborate on fabrics together. Together, they have been working to reinvent hand-woven fabrics into modern clothes and accessories. COTTLE serves as a bridge between history and tradition and modern fashion.
Ancient Japanese Traditions
They developed a dye containing indigo and natural petal dye to create a denim tone that is truly unique and outstanding. The yarn is dyed by hand and the petal dye is a century-old recipe of the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute and no other brand is allowed to use it. It does not get much more exclusive than this. The amount of manual labor that goes into this fabric is only rivaled by AIZOME fabrics – and if you compare the price of AIZOME fabrics to this, you understand that COTTLE offers and outstanding value for money.
The selvedge ID really stands out. It is based on old designs of Japanese Folk Art that Toshi-san found in the archives of the Kurashiki Institute. The pattern is unique It is the most outstanding selvedge ID that we have ever seen, which gives a great contrast against the indigo x petal dyed denim. The Indian red selvedge is dyed by hand and you will find this selvedge ID at the fly AND the coin pocket.
Selvedge ID in indian red, based on old Japanese patterns
Here are three short videos for you to see how the Indian red thread is made:
The leather patch features a truly unusual shape and depicts the lovely islands in the Seto inland sea. The landscape of the Seto islands, seen from Kojima, is round, and a poppy Island “floats” in the sea. Toshi-san designed this patch when his wife moved to live with him, moving all the way from Yokohama. It is a personal touch, but it just shows you how much of Toshi-san is actually inscribed into his products.
The best leather quality; a design inspired by nature
One last thing that deserves your attention: The top button. Unlike many brands, who order their hardware from big suppliers (which are great quality, don’t get us wrong), COTTLE goes the extra mile. Most buttons are pressed in big machines, but COTTLE cast their buttons. They pour the melted iron into a mold, which is an ancient technique that is also used for things such as Buddha statues. The amount of detail they can achieve this way is staggering and the surface is extremely smooth. Every single one of these buttons is made by a skilled craftsman. The pattern shows overlapping and connecting circles, three-dimensionally carved with the finest lines that can be cast. Take a close look, the overlapping circles are created so that the circles are stuck on top and bottom. The button alone is a work of art.
Iron cast by hand: These buttons are next level hardware
We cannot stress enough how much work goes into even the smallest detail of these jeans. That is also reflected in their cuts. COTTLE offers two cuts and we are sure that one of them will be to your liking:
1. C.T.L STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA
This is their regular cut and it is packed with tradition! It comes with a button fly and hidden rivets, reminiscent of the denim making of the old days. They have a fairly high rise, so that they will give a great silhouette and can be worn with your shirt tucked in if you like. This relaxed fit is very comfortable around the waist and if you are into wide fits, this one will certainly make you happy. Toshi-san has spent months in the archives of various brands, studying their regular cut to create a cut that everyone can enjoy.
Click here to buy Non-Washed Version or One-Washed Version
STPT3450: The Straight Cut
2. C.T.L SLIM STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA (INDIAN RED)
It is a slightly tighter silhouette compared to the regular straight cut, but it is in no way restricting. Again, Toshi-san and his team have gone at great length to create this cut. It is more modern than COTTLE’s regular cut and therefore has different features like a zip fly and no hidden rivets. The back pockets sit closer together and the coin pocket is moved towards the center to enhance a slim look that is very comfortable to wear. Thanks to the high rise, the jeans look classy and timeless, and might be an alternative for everyone who wants a tight straight leg but is not a fan of a low rise.
Click here to buy Non Wash Version or One-Washed Version
SSPT3450: The Slim Straight Cut
pure class
We offer these in a solid rigid state and as you know, unsanforised denim shrinks quite a bit after the first soak. Most of you know the drill, but it is always good to repeat things.
If you are in the market for a pair of eans that is different without looking flashy, COTTLE should be your new favorite brand. The way they make their jeans in-house with truly unique methods is simply spectacular, i.e. creating their own dye, spinning their own yarn, casting their own buttons. You can tell that they are dead-set on creating your uniform for living, everyday luxury in its purest form. Their jeans look amazing straight out of the box, but they are designed to get better with wear. And these jeans are so gorgeous, we are sure they will see plenty of wear.
COTTLE don’t make clothing they wouldn’t wear themselves
Toshi-san himself says: If you bought something from COTTLE, we are confident that you have chosen well. You found an item that only you can bring to life by wearing it and at the same, you are keeping old Japanese traditions alive. Thank you very much for choosing COTTLE.[:pt]People often ask us how we choose brands for Denimio. We do not have a formula for this but whenever we see a brand that does things a little bit differently, we are intrigued. To say that there are already many Japanese denim brands to choose from, would be an understatement and any new brand will have a tough time to make an entry. However, every once in a while you encounter a brand bursting with quality, dedication, and ambition; you just know that they are special. Let us introduce you to COTTLE and why they are more than worthy of your attention and might soon be your main supplier of uniforms for everyday living.
Taking “hand-made” to the next level
COTTLE has actually been around for a couple of years. They began their journey on May 5, 2015, in Kojima, in the Okayama Prefecture, widely known as the birthplace of Japanese denim. This region is the very heart of the Japanese textile industry. Most of the factories, mills, and dyeing workshops associated with denim are located here.
The COTTLE workshop: A 120 year old factory
The first beautiful thing we learned about COTTLE is that they didn’t rent offices, they bought an old, run-down textile factory and restored it. That is 120 years of history that would otherwise have been lost. They also brought a lot of old machinery, like hand-looms, back to life. Because they did not just transform this old factory into a shiny office and spacious studio, no, COTTLE still manufactures in these old halls. It’s an admirable approach: They wanted to create a flow of creativity that transmits ideas to products. They think of a design in their studio and then directly get it done in their very own factory. There is no waiting time for samples and their flexibility allows them to twist and tweak their designs in any way they see fit. Their workshop is equipped with many vintage sewing machines, collected over decades, and all the old school tools for cutting the fabrics, to allow them to go from creating an idea to crafting a product instantly. We love COTTLE for being, literally, a hand-on brand.
Putting the work in workshop
You need to know that COTTLE is run by people who are not just designers and marketers, they are craftsmen themselves. And their products are a testament to that. COTTLE is the brainchild of Toshiaki Watanabe, or, as we call him, Toshi-san (there is going to be an exclusive interview with the man soon, so keep your eyes peeled!).Toshi-san was born in Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture. A major factor for us falling in love with COTTLE is Toshi-san whose dedication and personal philosophy are irresistible. He is the embodiment of someone who lives and dies for good fabrics.
When he was a child, he was smaller than all his friends and classmates and was often overlooked because of that. Clothing, it seemed to him, was the only way for him to express himself and being recognized. But buying clothing was not enough for Toshi-san and in the second year of junior high school, he decided that he wanted to a proper tailor, a true craftsman and become skilled enough to make products that would make people happy and give them confidence. The important thing about Toshi-san is that he follows through. If this man has a vision, he will work relentlessly until it becomes a reality.
Toshi-san checking different shades of denim
When he turned 18 he became a traveling craftsman on the road, learned old school dress- and suit-making techniques in proper ateliers. But knowing how to make clothing was not enough, he knew that he didn’t want to just follow the designs of other people, he needed to be able to create new shapes and forms himself. So he enrolled in the prestigious Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo to study design. It was during that time that Toshi-san discovered the role that Okayama plays for us denimheads. He learned that his hometown is a sacred place for world-class denim. When he returned home from Tokyo at the age of 21, he began working in Kojima in textile production planning and manufacturing.
Design and manufacturing: all done in-house
When he was younger, he didn’t pay attention to it, but now he understood: the sound of his youth was the rattling sound of old denim-looms, a rhythm dictated by the clicking sound of people pushing the pedals of their sewing machines. It is the only place on earth, were everything is overshadowed by denim, where denim is the most omnipresent item in everyday life and he realized that he wanted to be a part of it, to pour the love he feels for this place into a product. For Toshi, denim is a labor of love.
fabrics, fabrics, fabrics
Toshi-san is insanely knowledgeable when it comes to designing fabrics from scratch and he knows the right people to source the cotton, spin the yarn and weave the fabric. Everyone loves Toshi-san and it seems like everyone in the denim industry has worked with him at some point. After learning everything there was to learn, he was ready for the next step: After 8 years, at the age of 29, he started planning COTTLE together with his wife Yukari, a classmate at Bunka Fashion College and professional accessory designer. Another two years later, he bought his own factory. For three years he sources more machines, hires workers, designs hardware, creates samples, develops their very own kintsugi buttons, and creates his very own denim. In 2018, he is ready: He asks another classmate from Bunka Fashion College to join him and launch COTTLE. This company is run like a family workshop and we instantly felt right at home with them when we visited their old factory.
the team behind COTTLE: A family and friends operation
COTTLE stands for COTTON x KETTLE (pot). It stands for the desire to see denim as a household good, something that is essential. Premium denim represents a certain kind of luxury, the luxury that lurks in casual everyday life. Having handled their products, we know what they mean.
UNIFORM FOR LIVING
We will start with two models from COTTLE and now it’s time to talk about denim and construction. We will add their tops in the coming months.
Kakishibu, sashiko, denim, indigo: COTTLE has it all
As we have mentioned before, Toshi-san has worked with a lot of brands and helped them to develop fabrics. There is a good chance that you are wearing a pair of jeans made from denim that he in part crafted. Before he started COTTLE, he met with the president of KAPITAL who told him to do things differently. Sometimes, you need to think outside the box to refine something that is already very good.
Toshi-san has always cared about the mix ratio and materials for his fabrics. He studied color, texture, weight, yarn count, etc. until he finally got his first denim fabric. His first denim was da fabric woven by a rapier weaving machine called W-width. It consisted of 90% cotton and 10% hemp. It clocked in at 14oz (part number CTL-5524). However, the hemp cotton fabric didn’t convince him fully, so he started from scratch… again!
What a neppy texture, what an amazing dye
He wanted a lighter fabric that could be worn all year. At 12oz, their signature denim (CTL-3450) does precisely that. It consists of 91% cotton and 9% linen. If you ever touch their denim, you will be surprised. It has the softness of hand-woven fabrics, a certain elegance, and, yet, with all the nep coming through at the surface, this feeling of incompleteness. It all comes down the yarn: The neppy linen and cotton are twisted into a single thread. The right ratio is crucial and the one percent less linen (from 10% to 9%) makes all the difference. The loose weaving makes the jeans very breathable and adds texture. It is an incredibly smooth fabric and thanks to the material, there is a natural stretch to it. The amount of fabric that can be produced at one time is limited and depends on the weather too. The old shuttle looms are fickle machines and when it is too humid, they cannot work with the linen-cotton yarn which becomes very thick when damp. Just look at the weft structure with all the loom shatter to get an idea:
the weft in all its irregular glory
And even the dye of this fabric is special. The indigo shade faithfully reproduces the color of the jeans of the first batch of Japanese denim (trust us, Toshi-san knows these kinds of things). The vibrant color is reminiscent of the beautiful indigo color that has the spirit of the old and new. But there is a secret to this color. There is a place called “the smallest school in Japan”, the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute.
Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute
Only women are allowed to study there and create things while staying for a year. They learn of the richness and wisdom of life through dyed and woven yarn. The traditions of this place have been carefully created and protected in Kurashiki. Toshi-san got in touch with the Director of the school, Professor Ishigami, to collaborate on fabrics together. Together, they have been working to reinvent hand-woven fabrics into modern clothes and accessories. COTTLE serves as a bridge between history and tradition and modern fashion.
Ancient Japanese Traditions
They developed a dye containing indigo and natural petal dye to create a denim tone that is truly unique and outstanding. The yarn is dyed by hand and the petal dye is a century-old recipe of the Kurashiki Honten Teori Institute and no other brand is allowed to use it. It does not get much more exclusive than this. The amount of manual labor that goes into this fabric is only rivaled by AIZOME fabrics – and if you compare the price of AIZOME fabrics to this, you understand that COTTLE offers and outstanding value for money.
The selvedge ID really stands out. It is based on old designs of Japanese Folk Art that Toshi-san found in the archives of the Kurashiki Institute. The pattern is unique It is the most outstanding selvedge ID that we have ever seen, which gives a great contrast against the indigo x petal dyed denim. The Indian red selvedge is dyed by hand and you will find this selvedge ID at the fly AND the coin pocket.
Selvedge ID in indian red, based on old Japanese patterns
Here are three short videos for you to see how the Indian red thread is made:
The leather patch features a truly unusual shape and depicts the lovely islands in the Seto inland sea. The landscape of the Seto islands, seen from Kojima, is round, and a poppy Island “floats” in the sea. Toshi-san designed this patch when his wife moved to live with him, moving all the way from Yokohama. It is a personal touch, but it just shows you how much of Toshi-san is actually inscribed into his products.
The best leather quality; a design inspired by nature
One last thing that deserves your attention: The top button. Unlike many brands, who order their hardware from big suppliers (which are great quality, don’t get us wrong), COTTLE goes the extra mile. Most buttons are pressed in big machines, but COTTLE cast their buttons. They pour the melted iron into a mold, which is an ancient technique that is also used for things such as Buddha statues. The amount of detail they can achieve this way is staggering and the surface is extremely smooth. Every single one of these buttons is made by a skilled craftsman. The pattern shows overlapping and connecting circles, three-dimensionally carved with the finest lines that can be cast. Take a close look, the overlapping circles are created so that the circles are stuck on top and bottom. The button alone is a work of art.
Iron cast by hand: These buttons are next level hardware
We cannot stress enough how much work goes into even the smallest detail of these jeans. That is also reflected in their cuts. COTTLE offers two cuts and we are sure that one of them will be to your liking:
1. C.T.L STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA
This is their regular cut and it is packed with tradition! It comes with a button fly and hidden rivets, reminiscent of the denim making of the old days. They have a fairly high rise, so that they will give a great silhouette and can be worn with your shirt tucked in if you like. This relaxed fit is very comfortable around the waist and if you are into wide fits, this one will certainly make you happy. Toshi-san has spent months in the archives of various brands, studying their regular cut to create a cut that everyone can enjoy.
Click here to buy Non-Washed Version or One-Washed Version
STPT3450: The Straight Cut
2. C.T.L SLIM STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA (INDIAN RED)
It is a slightly tighter silhouette compared to the regular straight cut, but it is in no way restricting. Again, Toshi-san and his team have gone at great length to create this cut. It is more modern than COTTLE’s regular cut and therefore has different features like a zip fly and no hidden rivets. The back pockets sit closer together and the coin pocket is moved towards the center to enhance a slim look that is very comfortable to wear. Thanks to the high rise, the jeans look classy and timeless, and might be an alternative for everyone who wants a tight straight leg but is not a fan of a low rise.
Click here to buy Non Wash Version or One-Washed Version
SSPT3450: The Slim Straight Cut
pure class
We offer these in a solid rigid state and as you know, unsanforised denim shrinks quite a bit after the first soak. Most of you know the drill, but it is always good to repeat things.
If you are in the market for a pair of eans that is different without looking flashy, COTTLE should be your new favorite brand. The way they make their jeans in-house with truly unique methods is simply spectacular, i.e. creating their own dye, spinning their own yarn, casting their own buttons. You can tell that they are dead-set on creating your uniform for living, everyday luxury in its purest form. Their jeans look amazing straight out of the box, but they are designed to get better with wear. And these jeans are so gorgeous, we are sure they will see plenty of wear.
COTTLE don’t make clothing they wouldn’t wear themselves
Toshi-san himself says: If you bought something from COTTLE, we are confident that you have chosen well. You found an item that only you can bring to life by wearing it and at the same, you are keeping old Japanese traditions alive. Thank you very much for choosing COTTLE.[:ru]Люди часто спрашивают нас, как мы выбираем бренды для Denimio. У нас нет формулы для этого, но всякий раз, когда мы видим бренд, который делает вещи немного по-другому, мы заинтригованы. Японских брендов очень много, все они весьма самобытны и сделать заявку для нового бренда порой бывает весьма непросто. Время от времени мы сталкиваетесь с тем, что бренд разрывается между качеством, традициями и амбициями; Вы просто знаете, что он особенный. Позвольте нам познакомить вас с COTTLE и с тем, почему они более чем достойны вашего внимания и имеют все шансы стать вашим основным брендом!
COTTLE фактически начал свой путь несколько лет назад. Бренд был запущен 5 мая 2015 года в Кодзиме, в префектуре Окаяма, широко известной как родина японского денима. Этот регион является сердцем японской текстильной промышленности. Большинство фабрик, ткацких производств и окрасочных цехов, связанных с джинсовой тканью, находятся здесь.
Первые замечательные вещи, что мы узнали о COTTLE – это то, что они арендовали офисы и они приобрели старинную небольшую текстильную фабрику. В противном случае её 120-летняя история была бы утрачена. Они также вернули к жизни множество старинного оборудования, включая челночные станки.Поскольку COTTLE не превратили эти старые помещения в ультра-современную студию, они работают в этом старинном помещении. Это замечательный подход для тех, кто вдохновляется творчеством. Они разрабатывают дизайн в маленькой студии и потом тут же воплощают его на своей маленькой фабрике. В этом случае нет длительного времени ожидания между заказчиком и производителем, COTTLE могут производить всё сами. Другим важным аспектом является то, что они могут делать бесчисленное количество экспериментов с тканью. Их мастерская оснащена множеством старинных швейных машин, собранных в прошлые десятилетия, а также инструментами старой школы, для раскройки тканей, что позволяет им мгновенно перейти от создания идеи к созданию продукта. Мы любим COTTLE за то, что это один из немногих брендов делающий свою продукцию полностью с нуля.
Вы должны знать, что COTTLE управляют люди, которые являются не просто дизайнерами и маркетологами, они настоящие ремесленники. И их продукты являются доказательством этого. COTTLE – это детище Тошиаки Ватанабе, или, как мы его называем, Тоши-сан (скоро будет эксклюзивное интервью с этим человеком, так что следите за нашими новостями!). Тоши-сан родился в городе Курасики в префектуре Окаяме. Самоотверженность, творческое начало и личная философия Тоши-сан, просто неотразимы. Он является воплощением того, кто живет созданием тканей и одежды.
Когда он был ребенком, он был меньше всех своих друзей и одноклассников, и из-за этого его часто не замечали. Ему казалось, что одежда была единственным способом выразить себя и быть узнаваемым. Но покупки одежды было недостаточно для Тоши-сан, и на втором году обучения в средней школе он решил, что хочет найти подходящего портного, настоящего мастера и стать достаточно опытным, чтобы делать изделия, которые делали бы людей счастливыми и вселяли в них уверенность. Этой мечте Тоши-сан следует до сих пор. Если у этого человека есть видение, он будет неустанно работать, пока его мечта не станет реальностью.
When he turned 18 he became a traveling craftsman on the road, learned old school dress- and suit-making techniques in proper ateliers. But knowing how to make clothing was not enough, he knew that he didn’t want to just follow the designs of other people, he needed to be able to create new shapes and forms himself. So he enrolled in the prestigious Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo to study design. It was during that time that Toshi-san discovered the role that Okayama plays for us denimheads. He learned that his hometown is a sacred place for world-class denim. When he returned home from Tokyo at the age of 21, he began working in Kojima in textile production planning and manufacturing.
When he was younger, he didn’t pay attention to it, but now he understood: the sound of his youth was the rattling sound of old denim-looms, a rhythm dictated by the clicking sound of people pushing the pedals of their sewing machines. It is the only place on earth, were everything is overshadowed by denim, where denim is the most omnipresent item in everyday life and he realized that he wanted to be a part of it, to pour the love he feels for this place into a product. For Toshi, denim is a labor of love.
Toshi-san is insanely knowledgeable when it comes to designing fabrics from scratch and he knows the right people to source the cotton, spin the yarn and weave the fabric. Everyone loves Toshi-san and it seems like everyone in the denim industry has worked with him at some point. After learning everything there was to learn, he was ready for the next step: After 8 years, at the age of 29, he started planning COTTLE together with his wife Yukari, a classmate at Bunka Fashion College and professional accessory designer. Another two years later, he bought his own factory. For three years he sources more machines, hires workers, designs hardware, creates samples, develops their very own kintsugi buttons, and creates his very own denim. In 2018, he is ready: He asks another classmate from Bunka Fashion College to join him and launch COTTLE. This company is run like a family workshop and we instantly felt right at home with them when we visited their old factory.
COTTLE stands for COTTON x KETTLE (pot). It stands for the desire to see denim as a household good, something that is essential. Premium denim represents a certain kind of luxury, the luxury that lurks in casual everyday life. Having handled their products, we know what they mean.
Мы решили начать с двумя моделями джинсов от COTTLE и теперь настало время поговорить о дениме и конструкции этого продукта.
Как мы уже упоминали ранее, Тоши-сан работал со многими брендами и помогал им разрабатывать ткани. Есть большая вероятность, что вы носите джинсы из денима, в работе над которым он мог принимать участие. Перед тем, как начать заниматься COTTLE, он длительное время общался с президентом бренда KAPITAL, который подсказал ему множество идей и решений для нового бренда. Иногда вам нужно мыслить нестандартно, чтобы улучшить что-то, что уже хорошо известно и сделано хорошо.
Тоши-сан всегда заботился обо всех компонентах, когда речь заходит о ткани. Он изучал цвет, текстуру, плотность, количество пряжи и т. д., Пока не получил свой первый вид денма. Его первым денимом была ткань, сотканная с помощью ткацкого станка W-width. Деним состоял из 90% хлопка и 10% конопли. Он имел плотность 14 унций (номер по каталогу CTL-5524). Однако микс хлопка и конопли не убедил Тоши-сан полностью, поэтому он начал с нуля … снова!
Он хотел создать более лёгкий вид денима, который можно было бы носить весь год.Так был создан 12OZ деним (CTL-3450). Он состоит из 91% хлопка и 9% льна. Если вы когда-нибудь коснетесь этого денима, вы будете сильно удивлены. Он обладает мягкостью тканей ручной работы, определенной элегантностью, и, тем не менее, со всем необычным эффектом денима, который будто бы соткан вручную. Вся суть в пряже и нитях: волокна льна, дающие эффект “неппи” и хлопок скручивается в одну нить. Соотношение хлопка и льна имеет очень важное значение. Джинсы сотканы таким образом, что нити не имеют сильного натяжения, это даёт дениму красивую “рукотворную” фактуру и такой деним неплохо продувается. В тоже время это достаточно мягкая ткань, такой деним будет немного тянуться для комфорта. Количество ткани, которую можно изготовить за один раз, ограничено. Старые челночные ткацкие станки являются очень капризными машинами, и когда они слишком влажные от погоды, они не могут работать с льняной хлопчатобумажной пряжей, которая становится очень толстой при сырости. Достаточно взглянуть на структуру утка со всем ткацким станком, чтобы понять:
И даже краситель этой ткани особенный. Цвет индиго точно воспроизводит цвет джинсов из самой первой партии японского денима (поверьте, Тоши-сан знает подобные вещи). Яркий цвет напоминает красивый цвет индиго, который имеет дух традиции и современности. Но есть секрет этого цвета. Есть место под названием «Самая маленькая школа в Японии», Институт Kurashiki Honten Teori.
Только женщинам разрешено там учиться и создавать вещи, оставаясь там год. Они узнают о богатстве и мудрости жизни через способы окрашивания нитей и ткачество тканей. Традиции этого места были тщательно созданы и сохранены в Курасики. Тоши-сан связался с директором школы, профессором Ишигами, чтобы вместе поработать над тканями. Вместе они работали над тем, чтобы изобрести ткани ручной работы для современной одежды и аксессуаров. COTTLE служит мостом между историей, традицией и современной модой.
Они разработали краситель, содержащий индиго и натуральную “лепестковую” краску, чтобы создать поистине уникальный и выдающийся оттенок денима. Пряжа окрашивается вручную, а красящий лепесток – это вековой рецепт Института Курасики Хонтен Теори, и никакой другой бренд не может его использовать. Это эксклюзивный способ окрашивания. Количество ручного труда, который используется при таком способе окрашивания, может быть сравнимо с ручным окрашивание AIZOME – и если вы сравните цену тканей AIZOME с этим, вы поймете, что COTTLE предлагает очень хорошее соотношение цены и качества.
Нить, вплетаемая в селвидж заслуживает отдельного упоминания. Он основан на старых образцах японского народного искусства, которые Тоши-сан нашел в архивах Института Курасики. Этот узор уникален. Это самый выдающийся selvedge-ID из всех, которые мы когда-либо видели, который дает отличный контраст по отношению к синему дениму цвета индиго. Нить “индийского красного” цвета окрашена вручную, и вы можете наблюдать такую нить на кромке джинсов по внешнему шву и на монетном кармашке.
Здесь есть видео о том, как изготавливается такая нить:
Кожаный патч имеет действительно необычную форму и несёт стилизованные изображения острова во внутреннем море Сету. Пейзаж островов Сету, видимый с Кодзимы, круглый, а “маковый остров” виднеется в море. Тоши-сан разработал этот патч, когда его жена переехала жить к нему, проделав весь путь из Иокогамы. Это личные впечатления, но оно показывает, сколько Тоши-сан действительно связан со своей продукцией.
И ещё одна деталь, которая заслуживает вашего внимания: верхняя пуговица. В отличие от многих брендов, которые заказывают свою фурнитуру у крупных поставщиков (это отличное качество, не поймите нас неправильно), COTTLE делает всё это самостоятельно. Большинство пуговиц производятся на крупных производствах, но COTTLE делает иначе. Они заливают расплавленный металл в форму, что является древней техникой, которая также используется для таких вещей, как изготовление статуи Будды. Количество деталей, которые они могут получить таким образом, поражает, а поверхность чрезвычайно гладкая. Каждая из этих пуговиц сделана опытным мастером. Рисунок показывает перекрывающиеся и соединяющиеся кольцо, трехмерно вырезанные с тончайшими линиями. И это всё сделано с помощью литья! Присмотритесь, рисунок сделан так, что кольца переплетаются сверху и снизу. Одна такая пуговица – это произведение искусства!
Мы не можем не подчеркнуть, сколько работы уходит на мельчайшие детали этих джинсов. Это также отражено в их фасонах. COTTLE предлагает два фита, они являются плодом длительной работы, проб и ошибок. Мы уверены, они вам понравятся:
1. C.T.L STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA
Это классический прямой регулар, и он полон традиций! Этот фасон идёт с застёжкой на пуговицах и скрытыми заклёпками на задних карманах, что является прямой отсылкой к винтажу. Джинсы имеют достаточно высокую посадку, это даёт великолепное удобство и хороший внешний вид: вы можете носить такие джинсы с заправленной рубашкой, если хотите. Этот фасон очень комфортен и в меру просторен. Тоши-сан провел месяцы в архивах различных брендов, изучая различные виды кроя регулар, чтобы создать именно этот фасон.
2. C.T.L SLIM STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA (INDIAN RED)
Это немного более узкий силуэт по сравнению с предыдущим классическим регулар.но этот фасон также является очень удобным. Тоши-сан и его команда приложили немало усилий, чтобы создать этот фит. Он более современный, чем регулар крой COTTLE, поэтому здесь используется застёжка на молнии и отсутствуют скрытые заклёпки на задних карманах. Задние карманы сидят ближе друг к другу, немного смещён, что улучшает внешний вид и повышает эргономику джинсов. Благодаря сравнительно высокой посадке джинсы выглядят стильно и этот фасон является отличным выбором для тех, кто ищет достаточно современный крой, но не хочет иметь джинсы с низким поясом (здесь посадка сравнительно высокая).
Мы предлагаем две версии, классический raw и джинсы с фабричной усадкой, one wash. Вы наверняка знаете, что raw джинсы будут усаживаться, а джинсы one wash садиться не будут, но их надо некоторое время разнашивать. Мы уверены, что вы уже неплохо знакомы с этими нюансами, но решили вам напомнить лишний раз.
Если вы всё ещё не имеете ни одной по настоящему роскошной пары джинсов, то COTTLE имеет все шансы, чтобы попасть в вашу замечательную коллекцию. То, как они изготавливают свои джинсы, используя по-настоящему уникальные методы, просто поразительно. Бренд тщательно отбирает сырьё, самостоятельно прядёт нити, делая микс из хлопка и льна, использует собственный краситель для окрашивания нитей, использует специально разработанную нить, вплетаемую в кромку, и даже пуговицы COTTLE отливают самостоятельно. Мы обязаны вам сказать, что эти джинсы станут действительно роскошной “униформой для каждого дня”. Каждая пара выглядит замечательно прямо из коробки, однако производитель предусмотрел, что джинсы будут становиться лучше по мере износа.
Сам Тоши-сан говорит: Если вы купили что-то у COTTLE, мы уверены, что вы сделали правильный выбор. Вы нашли предмет, который только вы можете воплотить в жизнь, надев его, и в то же время вы поддерживаете старые японские традиции. Большое спасибо за выбор COTTLE.[:th]ผู้คนมักสงสัยว่าเรามีหลักในการเลือกแบรนด์มาลงที่ Denimio อย่างไร เราไม่ได้มีเคล็ดลับตายตัวสำหรับสิ่งนี้ แต่เมื่อใดก็ตามที่เราเห็นแบรนด์ใดมีความต่างจากแบรนด์อื่นเพียงเล็กน้อย เราก็รู้สึกสนใจแบรนด์นั้น ตอนนี้เองก็มีแบรนด์เดนิมญี่ปุ่นให้เลือกมากมายทำให้แบรนด์ใหม่ ๆ เข้ามาตีตลาดลำบากไม่น้อย อย่างไรก็ตามแบรนด์ที่คุณพบมาอัดแน่นไปด้วยคุณภาพ ความทุ่มเทผ่านชิ้นงานหรือสินค้า นั่นเป็นจุดที่คุณจะรู้ได้ถึงความพิเศษของสินค้าแบรนด์นั้น ๆ ซึ่งเหมือนอย่างเช่น COTTLE ตอนนี้คุณจะได้ทราบว่าทำไมเสื้อผ้าของแบรนด์นี้ถึงมีความน่าสนใจและเป็นเสื้อผ้าที่คุณสวมใส่ได้ทุกวัน
จริง ๆ แบรนด์ COTTLE ก่อตั้งมาราว 2-3 ปีแล้ว แต่ผู้ก่อสร้างเริ่มต้นธุรกิจจริงจังเมื่อวันที่ 5 พฤษภาคม 2015 ในโคจิมะ จังหวัดโอกายาม่า ซึ่งเป็นที่รู้จักอย่างกว้างขวางว่าเป็นแหล่งกำเนิดผ้าเดนิมญี่ปุ่น ภูมิภาคนี้เป็นหัวใจสำคัญของอุตสาหกรรมสิ่งทอของญี่ปุ่น โรงงานส่วนใหญ่และโรงงานย้อมสีผ้าเดนิมอยู่ที่นี่!
สิ่งสวยงามอย่างแรกที่เราได้ศึกษา COTTLE คือ ผู้ผลิตไม่ได้เช่าสำนักงาน แต่ได้ซื้อโรงงานทอผ้าเก่าที่ชำรุดทรุดโทรมและบูรณะซ่อมแซมขึ้นมาใหม่อีกครั้ง และนี่คือประวัติศาสตร์ 120 ปีที่อาจจะเลือนหายไปแล้ว พวกเขายังนำเครื่องจักรเก่า ๆ และเครื่องทอด้วยมือจำนวนมากกลับมาฟื้นคืนชีวิต พวกเขาไม่เพียงแต่เปลี่ยนโรงงานเก่าแห่งนี้ให้เป็นออฟฟิศที่ทันสมัยและสตูดิโอที่กว้างขวางเท่านั้น COTTLE ยังคงดำเนินการผลิตในห้องโถงเก่าเหล่านี้ ซึ่งเป็นวิธีการที่น่าชื่นชม น่าประทับใจ พวกเขาต้องการสร้างความคิดสร้างสรรค์ที่ถ่ายทอดความคิดไปยังผลิตภัณฑ์ พวกเขาออกแบบในสตูดิโอส่วนตัวและดำเนินขั้นตอนการผลิตโดยตรงจากในโรงงานของตัวเอง พวกเขาปรับแต่งการออกแบบเองในทางที่เห็นว่าเหมาะสม โดยไม่ได้ลอกเลียนแบบจากที่ใด เวิร์คช้อปของพวกเขามาพร้อมกับจักรเย็บผ้าโบราณจำนวนมากซึ่งมีอายุเก่าแก่หลายทศวรรษ และเครื่องมือเก่าชินดอื่น ๆ สำหรับตัดผ้าเพื่อผลิตสินค้าได้ทันที เราจึงรัก COTTLE ที่เป็นตัวของตัวเองแบบนี้!
อีกสิ่งหนึ่งที่คุณควรทราบคือ COTTLE ดำเนินการผลิตโดยคผู้ที่ไม่ได้เป็นแค่นักออกแบบและนักการตลาดเท่านั้น แต่พวกเขาเป็นช่างฝีมือที่ชำนาญด้วย ผลิตภัณฑ์ของพวกเขาเป็นเครื่องพิสูจน์ให้เห็นถึงสิ่งนั้น COTTLE เป็นผลงานของ Toshiaki Watanabe หรือเราเรียกเขาสั้น ๆ ว่า Toshi-san (โทชิซัง) (ซึ่งจะมีการสัมภาษณ์พิเศษกับเขาในเร็ว ๆ นี้ เตรียมจับตาดูเขาให้ดี ๆ!) โทชิซังเกิดในเมืองคุราชิกิ จังหวัดโอกายาม่า ปัจจัยสำคัญที่เราตกหลุมรัก COTTLE คือ โทชิซังเองมีความทุ่มเทและมีปรัชญาส่วนตัวที่ไม่อาจต้านทานได้ เขาเป็นศูนย์รวมของคนที่มีชีวิตอยู่และยอมทำงานจนตัวตายเพื่อให้ได้ผ้าคุณภาพดี เมื่อเขายังเป็นเด็ก เขาตัวเล็กกว่าเพื่อนซึ่งเขามักถูกมองข้ามจากเพื่อนร่วมชั้นทั้งหมด ด้วยเหตุนี้เองเสื้อผ้าจึงเป็นวิธีเดียวที่เขาจะแสดงความเป็นตัวของตัวเองออกมาให้เป็นที่ประจักษ์ต่อสายตาคนอื่น เพียงแค่การซื้อเสื้อผ้าไม่เพียงพอสำหรับโทชิซัง ในปีที่สองของโรงเรียนมัธยมต้น เขารู้ตัวเองว่าเขาต้องการเป็นช่างตัดเสื้อที่เป็นช่างฝีมือชำนาญและมีทักษะมากพอที่จะส่งความสุขผ่านผลิตภัณฑ์และสร้างความมั่นใจในตนเองกลับมา สิ่งสำคัญเกี่ยวกับโทชิซัง คือ การที่เขาทำตามความฝัน ชายผู้นี้มีวิสัยทัศน์ไกล เขาจะทำงานอย่างไม่ลดละจนกว่ามันจะกลายเป็นความจริง!
เมื่อเขาอายุครบ 18 ปี เขาก็กลายเป็นช่างตัดเย็บเสื้อผ้าที่มีฝีมือ เขาได้เดินทางบนเส้นทางการเรียนรู้เทคนิค การแต่งตัวและการทำชุดสูทในโรงเรียน แต่การเรียนรู้วิธีทำเสื้อผ้ายังไม่เพียงพอ เขารู้ว่าเขาไม่ต้องการเพียงแค่ทำตามแพทเทิร์นของคนอื่น เขาต้องสร้างรูปทรงและรูปแบบใหม่ของตัวเองให้ได้ ดังนั้นเขาจึงลงทะเบียนใน Bunka Fashion College สถานศึกษาอันทรงเกียรติในโตเกียวเพื่อไปศึกษาต่อเรื่องการออกแบบ มันเป็นช่วงเวลาที่โทชิซังค้นพบบทบาทที่โอคายาม่าให้เขาได้สรรค์สร้างเดนิมมาสู่พวกเรา เขาได้ตระหนักว่าบ้านเกิดของเขาเป็นสถานที่ขลังสุดสำหรับยีนส์ระดับโลก เขากลับจากโตเกียวเมื่ออายุ 21 ปี เขาก็ได้เริ่มทำงานในการวางแผนและการผลิตสิ่งทออยู่ที่โคจิมะ
เมื่อตอนที่เขายังเด็ก เขาไม่สนใจเส้นทางนี้ แต่ตอนนี้เขาเข้าใจแล้ว เสียงจากเด็กหนุ่มของตัวเขาเอง คือ เสียงที่มีชีวิตชีวาผ่านผ้าเดนิมเก่า ๆ จังหวะที่ถูกกำหนดโดยเสียงคลิกของผู้คนที่เหยียบคันจักรเย็บผ้า ทำให้รู้ว่านี่เป็นสถานที่เดียวในโลก ที่ทุกอย่างปกคลุมไปด้วยผ้ายีนส์ ซึ่งผ้ายีนส์เป็นสินค้าที่พบเห็นได้ทั่วไปอยู่ทุกวัน เขาต้องการเป็นส่วนหนึ่งเพื่อเทความรักที่มีให้กับสถานที่นี้สื่อผ่านผลิตภัณฑ์ ยีนส์เป็นงานแห่งความรักสำหรับโทชิ
โทชิซังมีความรู้แน่นมากด้านการออกแบบผ้าตั้งแต่เริ่มต้น เขารู้จักคนที่เหมาะสมในการหาแหล่งฝ้ายปั่นด้ายและทอผ้า ทุกคนรักโทชิซังและดูเหมือนว่าทุกคนในอุตสาหกรรมผ้าเดนิมเคยผ่านการทำงานร่วมกับเขามาบ้างแล้วด้วย หลังจากเรียนรู้ทุกอย่าง เขาก็พร้อมสำหรับขั้นตอนต่อไป หลังจากนั้นอีก 8 ปี คือ ตอนเขาอายุ 29 ปี เขาเริ่มวางแผนแบรนด์ COTTLE ร่วมกับภรรยาของเขา Yukari (ยูการิ) เพื่อนร่วมชั้นที่ Bunka Fashion College และเป็นนักออกแบบเครื่องประดับมืออาชีพ อีกสองปีต่อมาเขาซื้อโรงงานของเขาเอง เป็นเวลาสามปีที่เขาหาแหล่งเครื่องจักรเพิ่มเติม จ้างพนักงานออกแบบฮาร์ดแวร์ สร้างตัวอย่าง พัฒนาแบบกระดุมคินต์ซูกิของตัวเอง และสร้างยีนส์ของเขาเองในปี 2018 เขาพร้อมทุกอย่างแล้ว เขาขอให้เพื่อนร่วมชั้นคนอื่นจาก Bunka Fashion College เข้าร่วมงานและร่วมการเปิดตัว COTTLE บริษัทนี้ทำงานเหมือนเวิร์คช็อปครอบครัว เรารู้สึกเหมือนอยู่บ้านทันทีเมื่อเราได้มีโอกาสไปเยี่ยมโรงงานเก่าของเขาเอง
ทั้งหมดหมายถึง ความปรารถนาที่จะเห็นผ้ายีนส์คุณภาพดีเป็นเสื้อผ้าที่มีติดบ้าน ยีนส์ระดับพรีเมียมในที่นี้แสดงถึงความหรูหราบางอย่าง ความหรูหราที่อยู่ในชีวิตประจำวัน ซึ่งเรารู้ว่าพวกเขากำลังหมายถึงอะไร
เราจะเริ่มต้นกันด้วยยีนส์สองรุ่นจาก COTTLE เราเชื่อว่าสินค้าแบรนด์นี้จะเพิ่มยอดขายได้ในอีกไม่กี่เดือนข้างหน้าแน่นอน
ดังที่เราได้กล่าวไว้ก่อนหน้านี้แล้วว่า โทชิซังทำงานร่วมกับแบรนด์อื่นด้านการพัฒนาผ้ามามากมาย คุณมีโอกาสที่จะได้ใส่กางเกงยีนส์ที่ทำจากผ้าเดนิมของเขาแล้ว ก่อนที่เขาจะเริ่มแบรนด์ COTTLE เขาได้พบกับประธานบริษัท KAPITAL ผู้ที่สอนให้เขาทำสิ่งต่าง ๆ บางครั้งต้องคิดนอกกรอบเพื่อปรับแต่งบางสิ่งที่ดีมากอยู่แล้ว โทชิซังดูแลเรื่องอัตราส่วนการผสมและวัสดุสำหรับผ้าของเขาเองเสมอ เขาศึกษาสีเท็กซ์เจอร์ น้ำหนัก จำนวนเส้นด้ายและอื่น ๆ จนกระทั่งในที่สุดเขาก็ได้ผ้ายีนส์ตัวแรกของเขา ผ้าเดนิมชิ้นแรกของเขาคือ ผ้าดา ทอโดยเครื่องทอที่เรียกว่าไวด์สกรีน เขาใช้ฝ้าย 90% และป่าน 10% ขนาดผ้า 14 ออนซ์ (เดนิมหมายเลข CTL-5524) อย่างไรก็ตามเดนิมที่ได้จากฝ้ายและป่านยังไม่เพียงพอสำหรับเขา โทชิซังเริ่มทดลองผ้าต่อไปอีก!
เขาต้องการผ้าที่เบาขึ้นเพื่อสวมใส่ได้ตลอดทั้งปี ด้วยขนาด 12 ออนซ์ ยีนส์ซิกเนเจอร์ (CTL- 450) ของแบรนด์ ซึ่งประกอบด้วยฝ้าย 91 % และลินิน 9% หากคุณได้ลองสัมผัสยีนส์ของพวกเขาแล้ว คุณจะประหลาดใจถึงความนุ่มนวลของเนื้อผ้าที่ทอด้วยมือ ความสง่างามบางอย่างที่แฝงอยู่ และด้วยความที่ nep (ผิวหยาบบางส่วน) ทั้งหมดผ่านเข้ามาที่เท็กซ์เจอร์ ตัวผ้ายังไม่สมบูรณ์ดี จึงต้องผ่านขั้นตอนให้ลงตัวที่เส้นด้าย ผ้าลินินและผ้าฝ้ายหยาบถูกบิดเป็นเกลียวเหลือเส้นเดียว อัตราส่วนที่เหมาะสมมีความสำคัญมาก ผ้าลินินเหลือน้อยลงหนึ่งเปอร์เซ็นต์ (จาก 10% ถึง 9%) ก็สร้างความแตกต่างได้แล้ว การทอแบบหลวม ๆ ทำให้กางเกงยีนส์ระบายอากาศได้ดีและเพิ่มเนื้อสัมผัส ซึ่งกลายเป็นผ้าเรียบอย่างไม่น่าเชื่อ ต้องขอบคุณวัสดุที่มีคุณสมบัติยืดได้ตามธรรมชาติ ปริมาณของผ้าที่สามารถผลิตได้ในครั้งเดียวมีจำกัดและขึ้นอยู่กับสภาพอากาศด้วย กระสวยทอผ้าเก่าเป็นเครื่องจักรที่ไม่มีความเสถียรนัก เมื่อมันชื้นเกินไปก็ใช้ทอเส้นด้ายลินินไม่ได้ตามต้องการ เพราะจะทำให้หนามากเมื่อเครื่องชื้น ทีนี้เรามาดูเรื่องโครงสร้างของลายทอด้วยเครื่องทอผ้าที่มีทั้งหมดแล้วคุณจะอินมากขึ้น
ในเรื่องสีย้อมผ้านี้ก็มีความพิเศษ เฉดสีครามที่ผ่านขั้นตอนซ้ำหลายรอบ ทำให้ได้สีของกางเกงยีนส์ญี่ปุ่นชุดแรก (เชื่อใจเราโทชิซังเชี่ยวชาญสิ่งเหล่านี้ดี) สีที่สดใสนั้นชวนให้นึกถึงสีครามที่สวยงามผสานจิตวิญญาณทั้งเก่าและใหม่เข้าด้วยกัน แต่ดูลึกลับเหมือนสถานที่ในชีวิตโทชิซัง “โรงเรียนที่เล็กที่สุดในญี่ปุ่น” คือ สถาบัน Kurashiki Honten Teori
มีเพียงผู้หญิงเท่านั้นที่ศึกษาที่นี้ และต้องครีเอทชิ้นงานต่าง ๆ ระหว่างศึกษาอยู่หนึ่งปี พวกเขาเรียนรู้เกี่ยวกับคลังภูมิปัญญาของชีวิตผ่านวิธีย้อมสีและการทอด้าย ประเพณีของสถานที่แห่งนี้ได้รับการสร้างและอนุรักษ์อย่างดีในคุราชิกิ โทชิซัง ได้ติดต่อกับผู้อำนวยการโรงเรียนศาสตราจารย์ Ishigami (อิชิกามิ) เพื่อร่วมมือกันผลิตผ้า พวกเขาทำงานร่วมกันเพื่อคิดค้นผ้าทอมือเป็นเสื้อผ้าและอุปกรณ์เสริมที่ทันสมัย COTTLE ทำหน้าที่เป็นสะพานเชื่อมระหว่างประวัติศาสตร์และขั้นตอนโบราณของแฟชั่นสมัยใหม่
พวกเขาพัฒนาสีย้อมที่มีสีครามและสีกลีบดอกไม้ธรรมชาติเพื่อสร้างโทนสียีนส์ที่มีเอกลักษณ์และโดดเด่นอย่างแท้จริง เส้นด้ายถูกย้อมด้วยมือและสีกลีบดอกไม้เป็นสูตรเก่าแก่ของสถาบัน Kurashiki Honten Teori ซึ่งไม่อนุญาตให้ใช้ยี่ห้ออื่น ทุกขั้นตอนที่กล่าวมานี้เป็นงานที่ต้องทำด้วยมือ ซึ่งเป็นการลงรายละเอียดในเนื้อผ้า ถ้าเปรียบเทียบคุณภาพและราคากับผ้า AIZOME คุณจะเข้าใจว่า COTTLE เสนอคุณภาพเนื้อผ้าไม่ต่างกันซึ่งคุ้มค่ากับเงินที่จ่ายไปนั่นเอง
ยีนส์ริม selvedge ID ของแบรนด์นี้ก็โดดเด่นมาก ด้วยการออกแบบแนวศิลปะพื้นบ้านญี่ปุ่นที่โทชิซัง พบในเอกสารสำคัญของสถาบัน Kurashiki เป็นรูปแบบไม่ซ้ำใคร ถือได้ว่าเป็นยีนส์ที่มี selvedge ID โดดเด่นที่สุดเท่าที่เราเคยเห็นมา ซึ่งสีตัดกันอย่างมากกับผ้ายีนส์สีครามและสีย้อมกลีบดอกไม้ Indian red selvedge นี้ย้อมด้วยมือ คุณจะสังเกต selvedge ID ได้จากบนกระเป๋าเหรียญและบริเวณด้านบนที่ปิดซิปหรือกระดุมของกางเกงยีนส์
ส่วนวิดีโอต่อไปนี้เป็นรายละเอียดอย่างกระชับเพื่อให้คุณชมวิธีการทำด้ายอินเดียนเรดว่าเป็นอย่างไรบ้าง
ป้ายแพทช์หนังมีรูปทรงไม่ธรรมดา แสดงให้เห็นเกาะที่สวยงามในทะเลเซโตะ ภูมิทัศน์ของหมู่เกาะเซโตะ ซึ่งมองเห็นได้จากโคจิมะเป็นทรงกลมและเป็นเกาะที่มีดอกป๊อปปี้อยู่ในทะเล โทชิซังจึงออกแบบแผ่นป้ายแพทช์หนังนี้เมื่อภรรยาของเขาย้ายไปอยู่กับเขา และย้ายไปตลอดทางจากโยโกฮาม่า ช่างเป็นเรื่องราวส่วนตัวที่สะท้อนให้คุณเห็นว่าโทชิซังใส่ใจรายละเอียดและบันทึกเรื่องราวต่าง ๆ ไว้ในสินค้า
รายละเอียดสุดท้ายที่คุณต้องประทับใจ คือ กระดุมบน ซึ่งต่างจากแบรนด์อื่นที่มักสั่งซื้อจากซัพพลายเออร์รายใหญ่ (ซึ่งมีคุณภาพยอดเยี่ยมอยู่แล้ว) เพราะกระดุมส่วนใหญ่ปั๊มกดในเครื่องจักรขนาดใหญ่ แต่ COTTLE ได้ก้าวไปอีกขั้นหนึ่ง โดยปั๊มกระดุมด้วยตัวเอง พวกเขาเทเหล็กที่หลอมละลายลงในแม่พิมพ์ซึ่งเป็นเทคนิคโบราณที่ใช้สำหรับสิ่งต่าง ๆ เช่น การหล่อรูปปั้นพระพุทธรูป ระหว่างหล่อจะต้องร่อนเกลี่ยไปด้วยทำให้ได้พื้นผิวเรียบมาก กระดุมทุกเม็ดทำโดยช่างผู้ชำนาญ แพทเทิร์นกระดุมเป็นวงกลมซ้อนทับและเชื่อมต่อกัน แกะสลักสามมิติด้วยลายเส้นประณีตอย่างมาก หากมองใกล้ ๆ กระดุมเพียงเม็ดเดียวก็คืองานศิลปะชั้นดีแล้ว
เราไม่อยากจะบิ้วให้มากความว่ารายละเอียดยิบย่อยของกางเกงยีนส์แบรนด์นี้มีมากเพียงใด ลองมาดูในเรื่องคัตติ้งของ COTTLE ที่ตอนนี้นำเสนอออกมาสองแบบ และเรามั่นใจว่าคุณต้องถูกใจแน่นอน
1. C.T.L STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA
นี่คือทรงปกติของแบรนด์ แค่เห็นก็สัมผัสได้ถึงความเป็นญี่ปุ่นดั้งเดิม! มาพร้อมกับกระดุมลอยและหมุดซ่อน ซึ่งชวนให้นึกถึงการผลิตผ้ายีนส์ในสมัยก่อน คุณภาพการตัดเย็บทรงยีนส์ที่ยอดเยี่ยม คุณสามารถสวมใส่กับเสื้อเชิ้ตปล่อย ๆ ก็ได้ ทรงยีนส์ขาเรียวตัวนี้สวมใส่สบาย ไม่อึดอัดช่วงรอบเอวและถ้าคุณสวมใส่พอดีก็จะทำให้คุณมีความสุขไปด้วย โทชิซังใช้เวลาหลายเดือนรวบรวมเอกสารสำคัญของแบรนด์ต่าง ๆ เพื่อศึกษาการตัดทรงปกตินี้ให้ทุกคนได้ใส่
2. C.T.L กางเกงยีนส์ทรงตรงขาสลิม – BENGARA (INDIAN RED)
กางเกงยีนส์รุ่นนี้เป็นทรงเข้ารูปกว่าเล็กน้อยเมื่อเทียบกับรุ่นทรงตรงขาปกติ และเป็นอีกครั้งที่โทชิซังกับทีมของเขาพยายามอย่างมากที่จะตัดยีนส์ออกมาให้มีขนาดพอเหมาะ ซึ่งดูทันสมัยกว่ารุ่นทรงตรงขาปกติของ COTTLE เอง ดังนั้นยีนส์รุ่นนี้จึงมีดีเทลที่แตกต่างด้วย เช่น ซิปและไม่มีหมุดซ่อนอยู่ กระเป๋าด้านหลังนอยู่ใกล้กันและกระเป๋าเหรียญถูกย้ายไปกึ่งกลางมากขึ้นเพื่อเพิ่มความเพรียวบาง ทรงเป้าสูงใส่สบายและใส่ได้ไม่มีเอ้าท์ นี่อาจเป็นทางเลือกสำหรับทุกคนที่ต้องการทรงขาตรงแต่กระชับช่วงขาแต่ไม่ใช่ยีนส์เอวต่ำ
เราขอนำเสนอ solid rigid อย่างที่ทราบกันดีว่า ผ้ายีนส์ที่ไม่ได้ผ่านขั้นตอน sanforised (การทำให้ผ้าอยู่ตัว) จะหดตัวลงเล็กน้อยหลังจากแช่ครั้งแรก ซึ่งควรแช่ซ้ำอีกหลังจากนั้น ส่วนใหญ่คนรักยีนส์จะเข้าใจ หากคุณอยู่ในตลาดยีนส์ที่แตกต่างกันไม่เน้นลุคฉูดฉาด แนะนำว่า COTTLE เหมาะกับคุณ แล้วคุณจะรักแบรนด์นี้อย่างจัง ขั้นตอนที่พวกเขาผลิตกางเกงยีนส์ด้วยวิธีการที่ไม่เหมือนใครคือ การคิดค้นผลิตสีย้อมของตัวเอง ปั่นเส้นด้ายเอง หล่อกระดุมเหล็กเอง คุณจะต้องทึ่งในดีเทลชั้นเลิศที่ใส่ได้ทุกวัน เพราะกางเกงยีนส์ถูกออกแบบมาให้สวมใส่ได้สบาย เหมาะกับทุกโอกาส เนื้อสวยงามมาก เรามั่นใจว่าคนจะใส่ยีนส์แบรนด์นี้กันอย่างแพร่หลายมากขึ้น
โทชิซังเองพูดว่า “ถ้าคุณซื้อสินค้าบางอย่างจาก COTTLE ผมมั่นใจว่าคุณเลือกถูกแล้ว คุณจะได้พบสิ่งของที่คุณคนเดียวเท่านั้นจะได้สัมผัสที่สุดของเดนิมยีนส์ด้วยการลองใส่เอง ผมขอบคุณมากที่พวกคุณเลือก COTTLE[:ja]お客様に「Denimioはブランドをどのようにセレクトするのか」とよく聞かれます。
セレクトする上の条件や決まった価値観はありませんが、ユニークな生地や、アプローチを持っているブランドを見るたびに興味をそそられます。
また、すでに多くの日本のデニムブランドは存在しているため、新しいブランドは個性を出すのに苦労されていることでしょう。
しかしながら、品質、哲学、そして野心にあふれたブランドなのにも関わらず人の目に触れられていない新しいブランドも数多く存在します。
その１つの大きな例が COTTLEです。こちらのブログを通してCOTTLEとはどんなブランドなのか丁寧に紹介しCOTTLEを知って頂き、あなたの「暮らしのユニフォーム」になって頂ければ幸いです。
「ハンドメイド」を次のレベルへ
COTTLEは実際には数年前から存在しています。 彼らは２０１５年５月５日、日本のデニムの発祥地として広く知られている岡山県の児島でブランドを始めました。
この地域は日本の繊維産業のまさに中心です。
デニムに関連する工場、縫製工場、染色工場のほとんどがここにあります。
COTTLEのワークショップ: 築１２０年の古い工場を使用し、COTTLEのアトリエ兼工場に。
COTTLEは、オフィスを借りず、古く朽ちかけた１２０年前から使われていた繊維工場を購入してリフォームし、１２０年の文化や技術を蘇らせるように手織り機のような多くの古い機械を修復しました。
制作場所として使用するだけではなく、アトリエ、そしてCOTTLEのオフィスとしても使用され、「ここでアイデアが生まれここでまず自分たちが制作できるように」という意図でワンフロアに全て揃うような理想の形となりました。アイデアを製品に伝える創造性の流れを作りたかったのです。
彼らは自分のスタジオでデザインを考え、それを自分の工場で直接仕上げます。
サンプルを待つ時間はありません。
また、柔軟性があるため、製品に合った方法でパターンを調整できます。彼らのワークショップには、数十年にわたって集められた多くのヴィンテージミシンと、あらゆる生地を切るために必要な道具が装備されており、アイデアを発案してからすぐに製品を作ることができます。
COTTLEは、伝統的な場所で新しいアイデアを実践しているのです。
ワークショップでの仕事の風景
COTTLEは、デザイナーやマーケティング担当者などは存在せず、すべて職人自身によって運営されているということが大切なポイントです。
私たちが「トシさん」、と呼ばせて頂いている渡辺トシアキさん（まもなくトシさんとの独占インタビュー記事が出来上がるのでお見逃しなく！）がCOTTLEのデザイナーさんです。
トシさんは岡山の倉敷市で生まれました。
私たちがCOTTLEを愛している理由は、その献身さとファッションや日本文化に対しての素晴らしい哲学をお持ちのトシさんが製作をしているということが大きな理由です。
彼が子供だったとき、周りの友人やクラスメートよりも身長が小さく、そのためにしばしば見下されていました。
そのため彼にとって「服」や「ファッション」は、彼が自分自身を自由に表現し、他者から認められるための唯一の方法だったようです。
しかしながら、トシさんは服を買って着るだけでは十分ではなく、中学２年生の頃に、将来は仕立て屋、つまり真の職人として、人々を幸せにし、皆に自信を与える服を作る技術を身につけたいと考えました。トシさんはその夢を追い続けました。彼は明確なビジョンが組み立てられれば、それが現実になるまで際限なく努力する方なのです。
異なる生地を選定するトシさん
彼が18歳になったとき、彼は職人の道を歩み、服の作り方を知るだけではなく、他の人のデザインを受け入れるだけではなく、自分で新しい形を作る必要性があることを知っていました。
そこで彼は東京の名門文化服装学院に入学し、デザインを基礎から学びました。
その間に、 彼は自分の故郷が世界クラスのデニムの聖地であることを知り、 ２１歳で卒業し東京から帰国したとき、彼は児島で織物の生産企画と製造の仕事を始めました。
デザインと製造: 全てが１つの工場で行われる。
彼の青春時代、よく聞こえてきたのは古いデニム織機のガタガタという音だったり、職人のペダルを踏む軽快なリズムでした 。
それまで全く注目してこなかった生活や思い出が彼を職人にするきっかけの一つとなって行くのです。
そして、デニムは日常生活の中で最も身近なアイテムであると気付き、彼が生まれた岡山、その土地自体がデニムを生産しているデニムの聖地だと知ります。
その岡山の児島で、ものつくりの代表的なブランドとして、世界各国のクリエイターや日本のものつくりを愛してくれる人たちに向けて発信して行きたいと考えます。そしてふるさと岡山への愛情をデニムに注ぎます 。
トシさんにとって、デニムは愛の結晶なのです。
COTTLEの愛の結晶
トシさんは、ゼロから生地をデザインすることに関して非常に知識が豊富であり、綿を調達し、糸を紡ぎ、生地を織るのに適した職人を知っています。 メンバーはトシさんが好きで、彼と一緒に働いているようです。
学ぶべきことをすべて学んだ後、彼は次のステップへの準備が整いました。
８年後、２９歳で、彼は文化服装学院のクラスメートであり、プロのアクセサリーデザイナーである奥様のゆかりさんとCOTTLEの計画を開始しました。
さらに２年後、彼は築１２０年の工場を購入。
３年間、より多くの機械を調達し、従業員を雇い、工場をリフォームし、サンプルを作成し、独自の金継ぎボタンを開発し、独自のデニムを作成していきました。
２０１８年、彼は同じく文化服装学院の別のクラスメートにCOTTLEを一緒に立ち上げるよう協力を頼みます。
この会社は家族のように運営されており、古い工場を訪れたとき、すぐに彼らの暖かさを感じました。
COTTLEのメンバー: 左から同級生の渡邊さん、奥様のゆかりさん、そしてトシさん。
COTTON（綿）×KETTLE（鍋）を足した造語が言葉がC
何気ない日常の生活の中にこそ、
「暮らしのユニフォーム-UNIFORM FOR LIVING- 」がCOTTLEのテーマ。
COTTLEの２商品を１２月２２日からオンラインで販売開始し、今後トップスも来年以降追加していく予定です。
柿渋、刺し子、デニム。: COTTLE は伝統を引き継いでいる。
先に述べたように、トシさんは多くのブランドと協力し、ブランドの生地開発を助けてきました。 あなたも、もしかしたら彼が部分的に手伝ったデニムから作られたジーンズを穿いているかもしれません。
トシさんは、COTTLEのデニムを作る際に常に生地の混合比とその素材を改良していきました。
最終的に納得の行くCOTTLE初のデニム生地を手に入れるまで、彼は色、テクスチャー、重量、糸番手などを研究します。
最初のデニム生地は、W幅と呼ばれるレピア織機で織られた１４oz生地で、 綿９０％と麻１０％の絶妙な割合で構成されたものでした。しかし最初の生地は理想には遠く、彼を完全に納得させるものではなかったので、彼は再びゼロから始めました…。
ネップ感のある生地、鮮やかなインディゴ色
COTTLEは一年中着用できるより軽い生地を求めて失敗を繰り返し、次に再制作した１２oz、９１％の綿と麻９％の絶妙な混合比によってついにトシさんの理想の生地が生み出されます。
写真や言葉では言い表せない、手織りの生地の柔らかさを備え、表面に多くのネップ感があります。その理由は麻と綿の混合比。麻が１％少ない（１０％から９％）ことがすべての違いを生んでいます。
織りがゆるいため、ジーンズは非常に通気性が良く、穿くたびに馴染み、風合いが増していきます。
信じられないほど滑らかな生地で、素材のおかげでナチュラルな伸縮性があります。
一度に生産できる生地の量は限られており、天候さえも依存します。古いシャトル織機は気まぐれな機械であり、湿度が高すぎると、リネン綿の糸では機能しません。
トシさんがシャトル織機共に歩んで制作した、こだわりの生地を見てみるとわかります。
よく見ると、横糸の構造が不均一になっている。
そして、染色も特徴的。 国産のジーンズが生まれた時の初期ロットの色味を忠実に再現しました。藍色の美しい色を彷彿させる鮮やかな色味は温故知新の精神を宿し
倉敷本染手織研究所
「女性のみが通う事が許され、１年間下宿しながらものづくりを通して生活の豊かさや知恵を、糸の染め織を通して学びます。
日本では民藝と呼ばれるジャンルで海外ではFOLK ARTと呼ばれたりしており、現在ではその手作業の美しさや儚さが世界的に日常から生まれる芸術の一つとして見直されています。」
トシさんは、学校長の石神さんと連絡を取り、衣服の共同制作を行い、彼らは手織りの生地を現代の服やアクセサリーに再構築するために取り組んできました。 COTTLEは、歴史と伝統、そして現代のファッションの架け橋としての役割を果たしているのです。
伝統的な製法を今日まで引き継いでいる。
彼らはインディゴと花びらを含む天然染料を開発し、真に誰も作ったことのないデニムを作り出しました。 糸は手で染められており、天然染料は倉敷本店手織研究所の１００年前から受け継がれた知恵であり、他のブランドでは使用できない製法です。この生地にかかる手作業の工程は枷染めなど天然藍染の工程数と同じ多くの工程を踏んでいます。生地の価格を掛かる作業量と比較すると、COTTLEが優れた価格を提供することがわかるでしょう。
私はおそらく、セルビッチが一見でわかる差別化できる特徴だと思います。今まで見たことのないベンガラ染めされたセルビッチ耳で、 コインポケットやフライ部分にもポイントとして配置されています。
ベンガラ染めされた、数少ない日本の伝統的な織りをセルビッチに使用。
どのようにベンガラ染めの糸が作られるかの動画がこちら:
革パッチのデザインにもこだわりが。彼の奥様であるゆかりさんが横浜からこの街に引っ越した際に見た、瀬戸内海に浮かぶ可愛い島々を抽象的にデザインしています、児島から見る瀬戸内海の風景には丸かったり、ポコッとした島が海に浮かんでいるため、それを彼はデザインに落とし込みました。日の丸や花札を連想させるイメージも取り入れています。
レザーはスモーキーなスエード牛革（NW）、経年変化がより楽しめるナチュラルKUDU牛革(OW)の2種類。
経年変化が楽しめるレザー: 児島の豊かな自然からインスパイアされたデザイン。
最後の特筆すべき特徴はトップボタン。
プレスではなく、鋳造キャストで成型したピューター（錫（すず））のオリジナルタック釦。仏像を作る工程と同じ様な方法で、型に金属を高圧で流し込む技法が使われています。プレスのボタンに比べて、高精度で肌面が滑らかで美しく仕上がります。量産ではなく、１点、１点熟練の職人の手により作られています。
繁栄を表す、縁（円）繋ぎ模様とCOTTLEのマークが、鋳造で出来るもっとも細い線で立体的に彫刻されています。
よく目を凝らして見ると、円の重なりは上下に円と円が引っかかっている様に作り出されています。
ハンドメイドの鋳造ボタン: 唯一無二のデニムだ。と小さいながら僕たちに語りかける。
COTTLEのデニムは２種類のカットが存在します:
1. C.T.L STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA
COTTLEのレギュラーカット。数々の伝統が詰まった自信の一作。 昔のデニム作りを思わせるボタンフライと隠しリベットが付いています。 COTTLEは穿く人を想い、シルエットはシャツをインしても足の長さがバランス良く見える様に股上のバランス感覚を少し長く設計しています。
股ぐりの部分は立体的に曲線を取り入れる事ではき心地と美しいシルエットを生み出しています。
セルビッチの耳部分をコインポケットと前たて部分にも取り入れる事がポイント。
CTLSTR: ストレート
2. C.T.L SLIM STRAIGHT DENIM PANTS-BENGARA (INDIAN RED)
こちらはCOTTLEのタイトストレート。通常のストレートカットに比べてわずかにタイトなシルエットですが、決してタイト過ぎて動くのが苦しくなるシルエットではありません。
トシさんと彼のチームは、このカットを作成するためにかなりの時間を費やしました。 COTTLEの通常のカットよりもモダンであるため、ジッパーフライなどのさまざまなディティールがあり、こちらには隠しリベットはありません。 後ろのポケットは互いに接近して配置され、コインポケットは中央に向かうようにし、非常に快適な着心地を実現しました。
CTLSLIM: スリムストレート
ユニークな生地の表情、セルビッチ
今回はどちらのシルエットもNW、OWどちらも展開致します。
もしあなたが派手に過ぎずでも他の人とは違うデニムを穿きたい、というのであればCOTTLEはぴったりかもしれません。
DENIMIOが、今年一番オススメするCOTTLE。ぜひ、お手に取り試してみてはいかがでしょうか。
COTTLE は自身が着たい服を作る。
トシさんからDENIMIOのお客様へメッセージ:
「COTTLEの作る洋服を通して世界中の人と繋がり、
いつかCOTTLEのジーンズや服を着た人達がアトリエに遊びに来て、お店で私達が接客をして
ものつくりの現場を生で見てもらって、ここで生まれる世界観や空気を肌で感じてもらえたら私にとっては最高の喜びです。
そして、ものつくりの職人の人たちにとっても私達の取り組みが世界に伝わり、
洋服だけでなく、様々な職人の模範となる様な形を示す事が私達の目標でもあります。
もし、あなたがCOTTLEのジーンズを買ってくれたならあなたはすでにものを選ぶという楽しみにおいて、あなたの人生で最高の一歩を踏み出したと自信を持ってお伝えします。COTTLEの洋服を買ってくれて本当にありがとうございます。」
[:ms]Orang sering bertanya kepada kami bagaimana kami memilih jenama untuk Denimio. Kami tidak mempunyai formula untuk ini tetapi apabila kita melihat jenama yang melakukan denim yang sedikit berbeza, kita tertarik. Setiap sekali-sekala Anda menghadapi jenama yang penuh dengan kualiti, dedikasi, dan cita-cita; Anda tahu bahawa mereka adalah istimewa. Denimio memperkenalkan Anda kepada COTTLE dan mengapa mereka jenama terbaik untuk Anda dan mungkin tidak lama lagi menjadi pakaian utama untuk kehidupan seharian.
COTTLE sebenarnya telah wujud selama beberapa tahun. Mereka memulakan perjalanan mereka pada 5 Mei 2015, di Kojima, Okayama, yang dikenali sebagai tempat kelahiran denim Jepun. Wilayah ini merupakan pusat industri tekstil Jepun. Kebanyakan kilang dan workshop pencelupan yang berkaitan dengan denim terletak di sini.
Perkara pertama yang kami pelajari mengenai COTTLE adalah bahawa mereka tidak menyewa pejabat, mereka membeli kilang tekstil lama dan memulihkannya – mempunyai 120 tahun sejarah. Mereka juga membawa banyak jentera lama, seperti alat tenun tangan, hidup kembali lagi. Kerana mereka tidak hanya mengubah kilang lama ini menjadi pejabat moden dan studio yang luas, COTTLE masih menghasilkan pakaian di kilang lama ini. Ini adalah pendekatan yang mengagumkan: Mereka mahu mencipta aliran kreativiti yang menghantar idea kepada produk. Mereka memikirkan reka bentuk di studio mereka dan kemudian terus melakukannya di kilang mereka sendiri. Tidak ada masa menunggu untuk sample dan fleksibiliti mereka membolehkan mereka untuk memutar dan tweak reka bentuk mereka dengan cara yang mereka lihat patut. Workshop mereka dilengkapi dengan banyak mesin jahit vintaj, yang dikumpul selama beberapa dekad, dan semua peralatan vintaj untuk memotong kain, untuk membolehkan mereka dari idea untuk membuat produk dengan sepantas mungkin. Kami suka COTTLE kerana, secara harfiah, ketukangan tulen!
Anda perlu tahu bahawa COTTLE dikendalikan oleh orang-orang yang bukan sahaja pereka dan pemasar, mereka juga tukang. Dan produk mereka adalah bukti untuk itu. COTTLE adalah gagasan Toshiaki Watanabe, atau, seperti yang kita panggil dia, Toshi-san (akan ada wawancara eksklusif dengan Toshi-san itu tidak lama lagi!).
Toshi-san dilahirkan di Kurashiki, Okayama. Faktor utama untuk kita jatuh cinta dengan COTTLE ialah Toshi-san yang dedikasi dan falsafah peribadi kuat. Dia adalah penjelmaan seseorang yang hidup dan mati untuk kain yang baik.
Apabila dia masih kanak-kanak, dia lebih kecil daripada semua kawan dan rakan sekelasnya dan sering diabaikan kerana itu. Pakaian, seolah-olah dia, adalah satu-satunya cara baginya untuk menyatakan diri dan diiktiraf. Tetapi membeli pakaian tidak cukup untuk Toshi-san dan pada tahun kedua sekolah menengah pertama, dia memutuskan bahawa dia ingin menjadi tukang jahit yang ahli, tukang yang benar dan menjadi cukup mahir untuk membuat produk yang akan membuat orang bahagia dan memberi mereka keyakinan diri. Perkara penting mengenai Toshi-san adalah bahawa dia sekiranya lelaki ini mempunyai visi, dia akan bekerja tanpa henti sehingga ia menjadi kenyataan.
Berumur 18 tahun, dia menjadi tukang jahit di pelbagai jenama, mempelajari pakaian vintaj dan teknik membuat pakaian dalam pengawas yang betul. Tetapi mengetahui bagaimana untuk membuat pakaian tidak mencukupi, dia tahu bahawa dia tidak mahu hanya mengikut reka bentuk orang lain, dia perlu dapat membuat bentuk baru dan membentuk dirinya. Jadi dia mendaftar di Bunka Fashion College yang berprestij di Tokyo untuk belajar reka bentuk. Pada masa itu Toshi-san menemui peranan Okayama untuk kita denimheads. Dia belajar bahawa kampung halamannya adalah tempat suci untuk kelas dunia denim. Dia pulang dari Tokyo pada usia 21, dia mula bekerja di Kojima dalam perancangan pengeluaran dan pembuatan tekstil.
Ketika dia masih muda, dia tidak memperhatikannya, tetapi sekarang dia faham: masa mudanya diisi dengan bunyi dari alat tenun lama, rentak oleh bunyi tukang yang menjahit pedal mesin jahit mereka. Satu-satunya tempat di bumi, segala-galanya dibayangi oleh denim, di mana denim adalah barang yang paling unik di dalam kehidupan seharian dan dia sedar bahawa dia mahu menjadi sebahagian daripadanya, untuk mencurahkan cinta yang dia rasa untuk tempat ini menjadi pakaian terbaik. Untuk Toshi, denim adalah cinta hidupnya.
Toshi-san mempunyai pengetahuan untuk merancang kain dari awal dan dia tahu orang yang tepat untuk sumber kapas, memutar benang dan menenun kain. Semua orang suka Toshi-san dan sepertinya semua orang dalam industri denim telah bekerja dengannya. Selepas belajar segala-galanya, dia sudah bersedia untuk langkah seterusnya: Selepas 8 tahun, pada usia 29 tahun, dia mula merancang COTTLE bersama isterinya Yukari, rakan sekelas di Bunka Fashion College dan pereka aksesori profesional. Dua tahun kemudian, dia membeli kilang sendiri. Selama tiga tahun dia mencari banyak mesin, pekerja, merancang perkakasan, mencipta sampel, mengembangkan butang kintsugi mereka, dan mencipta denim sendiri. Pada tahun 2018, dia siap: Dia meminta rakan sekelas lain dari Bunka Fashion College untuk menyertai dan melancarkan jenama COTTLE. Ini berjalan seperti kilang keluarga dan kami dengan merasa seperti di rumah dengan mereka ketika kami datang.
COTTLE bermaksud COTTON x KETTLE (periuk). Ia bermaksud keinginan untuk melihat denim sebagai pakaian keseharian, sesuatu yang penting. Denim premium mewakili kemewahan tertentu, kemewahan yang ada dalam kehidupan sehari-hari biasa. Setelah menyentuh produk mereka, kami tahu apa yang mereka maksudkan.
Kami akan memulakan dengan dua model dari COTTLE – tiba masanya untuk bercakap tentang denim dan pembinaan. Kami akan menambah produk mereka pada bulan-bulan akan datang.
Seperti yang telah kita sebutkan tadi, Toshi-san telah bekerja dengan banyak jenama dan membantu mereka mengembangkan tekstil. Terdapat peluang yang baik bahawa Anda telah memakai sepasang seluar jeans yang diperbuat dari denim yang dibuat Toshi-san. Sebelum dia memulakan COTTLE, dia bertemu dengan pemilik jenama KAPITAL yang memberitahunya untuk melakukan pakaian yang berbeza. Kadang-kadang, Anda perlu berfikir di luar kotak untuk memperbaiki sesuatu yang sudah sangat baik.
Toshi-san sentiasa menjaga nisbah campuran dan bahan untuk kainnya. Dia mempelajari warna, tekstur, berat, kiraan benang, dan lain-lain sehingga dia akhirnya mendapat kain denim pertamanya. Denim pertamanya adalah kain tenunan yang ditenun oleh mesin tenunan yang dipanggil W-width. Ia terdiri daripada 90% kapas dan 10% rami. Ia mencatatkan pada 14oz (part no. CTL-5524). Bagaimanapun, kain kapas rami tidak meyakinkannya, jadi dia bermula dari awal lagi!
Dia menginginkan kain yang lebih ringan yang boleh dipakai sepanjang tahun. Pada 12oz, denim khas mereka (CTL-3450). Ia terdiri daripada 91% kapas dan linen 9%. Sekiranya Anda menyentuh denim mereka, Anda akan terkejut – mempunyai kelembutan kain tenunan tangan, keanggunan istimewa, dan semua nep, rasa tidak sempurna. Semuanya datang dari benang: Linut yang neppy dan kapas dipintal ke dalam satu benang. Nisbah yang betul sangat penting dan 1% linen (dari 10% hingga 9%) membuat kain lebih selesa. Tenunan yang longgar membuat seluar jeans sangat selesa dan menambah tekstur juga. Ia adalah fabrik yang sangat halus dan terima kasih kepada bahan, terdapat regangan semula jadi untuknya. Jumlah kain yang boleh dihasilkan pada satu masa adalah terhad dan bergantung kepada cuaca juga. Alat tenun lama adalah mesin yang berubah-ubah dan apabila ia terlalu lembap, mereka tidak boleh bekerja kerana benang kapas-kain yang menjadi sangat tebal apabila lembab.
Dan pewarna kain ini istimewa. Pewarna indigo menghasilkan warna jeans seperti kain pertama denim Jepun (percaya kepada kami, Toshi-san paling tahu kain denim seperti ini). Warna ini mengingatkan warna indigo yang indah yang mempunyai semangat yang vintaj dan baru. Tetapi terdapat rahsia warna ini. Terdapat tempat yang disebut “sekolah terkecil di Jepun”, Institut Kurashiki Honten.
Hanya wanita yang dibenarkan belajar di sana dan mencipta sesuatu selama setahun. Mereka belajar tentang kebijaksanaan hidup melalui benang yang dicelup dan ditenun. Tradisi tempat ini telah dicipta dan dilindungi dengan baik di Kurashiki. Toshi-san berhubung dengan pengetua sekolah, Profesor Ishigami, untuk bekerjasama dengan membuat kain bersama.
Bersama-sama, mereka telah berusaha untuk mencipta semula kain tenunan tangan menjadi pakaian dan aksesori moden. COTTLE berfungsi sebagai jambatan antara sejarah, tradisi dan fesyen moden.
Mereka mencipta pewarna yang mengandungi indigo dan pewarna kelopak semulajadi untuk menghasilkan warna denim yang benar-benar unik dan luar biasa. Benang dicelup dengan tangan dan pewarna kelopak adalah resipi lama Institut Kurashiki Honten Teori dan tidak ada jenama lain yang dibenarkan untuk menggunakannya – sangat eksklusif. Jumlah buruh manual yang masuk ke kain ini hanya disaingi oleh jenama AIZOME – dan jika anda membandingkan harga kain AIZOME untuk ini, Anda memahami bahawa tawaran COTTLE dan nilai yang luar biasa untuk wang.
ID selvedge benar-benar menonjol. Ia didasarkan pada rekaan lama Seni Rakyat Jepun yang Toshi-san didapati dalam arkib Institut Kurashiki. Corak unik ID selvedge COTTLE yang paling khas yang pernah kita lihat, yang memberikan kontras yang hebat terhadap pewarna indigo x petal. Selvedge Indian Red dicelup dengan tangan dan Anda akan mendapati ID selvedge poket depan DAN duit syiling.
Patch kulit mempunyai bentuk yang sangat luar biasa dan menggambarkan kepulauan yang indah di laut Seto. Landskap pulau Seto, yang dilihat dari Kojima, adalah bulat, dan pulau-pulau kecil “mengapung” di laut. Toshi-san merancang patch ini ketika isterinya berpindah bersama dengannya, berpindah dari Yokohama. Ini adalah sentuhan peribadi, tetapi ia hanya menunjukkan kepada Anda berapa banyak Toshi-san menjaga kualiti jenamanya.
Satu rincian terakhir: Butang teratas. Tidak seperti banyak jenama, yang boleh mendapatkan perkakasan mereka dari kilang besar (yang juga berkualiti tinggi), COTTLE melakukan lebih daripada itu. Kebanyakan butang ditekan dalam mesin besar, tetapi COTTLE membentuk sendiri butang mereka. Mereka menuangkan besi cair di acuan, yang merupakan teknik purba yang juga digunakan untuk benda-benda seperti patung Buddha – rincian yang begitu banyak dari COTTLE. Setiap butang ini dibuat oleh seorang tukang mahir. Corak ini menunjukkan lingkaran bertindih dan menyambung, tiga dimensi diukir dengan tukang terbaik. Lihatlah, lingkaran yang bertindih dicipta supaya bulatan terperangkap di bahagian atas dan bawah. Butang COTTLE adalah karya seni juga.
Kita tidak boleh tegaskan betapa banyak kerja masuk ke dalam terperinci kecil seluar jeans ini.
Itu juga tercermin dalam pemotongan mereka. COTTLE menawarkan dua cut dan kami yakin bahawa salah satu daripada mereka akan sesuai dengan keinginan Anda:
Ini adalah pemotongan regular dan ia penuh dengan tradisi! Dengan butang terbang dan rivet tersembunyi, mengingatkan pembuatan denim pada zaman dahulu. Mereka mempunyai high rise, supaya mereka akan memberikan siluet yang istimewa. Cut santai ini sangat selesa di sekeliling pinggang. Toshi-san telah menghabiskan masa berbulan-bulan dalam arkib pelbagai jenama, belajar cut regular mereka untuk membuat cut yang semua orang dapat menikmati.
Non-wash Version atau One-Washed Version
Ini adalah siluet yang sedikit ketat berbanding dengan straight regular cut, tetapi ia sama sekali tidak menyekat. Sekali lagi, Toshi-san dan tim-nya telah berusaha keras untuk membuat potongan ini. Ia lebih moden daripada regular cut COTTLE dan mempunyai ciri-ciri yang berbeza seperti fly zip dan tiada rivet tersembunyi. Poket belakang ditempatkan lebih dekat bersama dan poket duit syiling bergerak ke arah pusat untuk meningkatkan rupa slim yang sangat selesa dipakai. Kerana high rise, seluar jeans kelihatan berkelas, dan menjadi alternatif untuk semua orang yang mahukan cut slim straight tetapi bukan penggemar low rise.
Non-Wash Version atau One-Washed Version
Kami menawarkannya dalam unsanforised denim, akan mengucut setelah pertama soak.
Jika Anda berada di pasaran untuk sepasang jeans yang berbeza tanpa kelihatan terlalu menarik perhatian, COTTLE bisa menjadi jenama kegemaran baru Anda. Cara mereka membuat seluar jeans mereka dengan menggunakan kaedah yang benar-benar unik sangat menakjubkan, mencipta pewarna mereka sendiri, membuat benang mereka sendiri, mencetak butang mereka sendiri. Anda boleh mengatakan bahawa mereka membuat kemewahan setiap hari dalam bentuk yang paling murni. Seluar jeans mereka kelihatan luar biasa, mereka direka untuk menjadi lebih baik dengan memakai untuk waktu lama. Dan seluar jeans ini begitu menakjubkan, kami yakin mereka akan melihat banyak memakai.
Toshi-san sendiri berkata: Jika Anda membeli sesuatu dari COTTLE, kami yakin bahawa Anda telah memilih dengan baik. Anda dapati item yang hanya boleh Anda bawa dengan memakainya dan pada masa yang sama, Anda akan mengekalkan tradisi Jepun lama. Terima kasih kerana memilih COTTLE.
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