Thank you for reading my blog. This is Uenishi from the Okayama store.
Recently, the temperature has been dropping significantly in the evenings, so we've started turning on the heater at the Okayama store.
The humming of the air conditioner makes you feel the arrival of winter.
As winter approaches, the desire for a hoodie that's warm, comfortable, fun to wear, and has cool details grows stronger.
For those who feel the same way, we'd like to introduce a hoodie that stands out from the mass-produced items that are all over the market.
50s PARKA - 20.5oz BLACK
No. 80510020140
Colour. Black
Size. 46 / 48 / 50 / 52 / 54 / 56
For the first time, black is now available in the 20.5oz series, a staple for fall and winter.
We also have crew necks and pants in the same fabric, but this time we'll be focusing on the hoodie!
A must-see for anyone looking for a hoodie!
Let's start with the fabric used in this product.
The "AZUMA" on the label refers to an old-fashioned Azuma knitting machine produced in the early 1970s, as this product is made with fabric knitted on an Azuma knitting machine.
Modern high-speed knitting machines forcefully knit while pulling the yarn, increasing fabric production efficiency and making them well-suited for mass production.
In contrast, old-fashioned Azuma knitting machines knit "slowly" to avoid putting strain on the yarn.
While this is an extremely inefficient production method, it produces a fluffy texture and unique firmness that cannot be reproduced on high-speed knitting machines.
When you try it on, you'll immediately notice the difference from mass-produced items.
I've described the quality of fabric knitted on an Azuma knitting machine, but Nigel Cabourn products don't stop there.
For this new black colour, we've paid particular attention to even the yarn.
We use top yarn, which is made by dyeing bundles of fibres before they are made into yarn and then spinning them.
This yarn is more durable (resistant to fading and colour transfer) than dyed yarn, and it traps more air between the fibres, so it has excellent heat retention. The knitted fabric has a voluminous yet soft texture.
The other colours, grey and ivory, are already comfortable enough, but black surpasses them.
It's hard to do it justice through photos and words, so I encourage you to try it on against the grey and ivory in store.
While we choose top yarns to improve quality, one of our brand's defining characteristics is that we're not satisfied with just this.
We also pay particular attention to the dyes we use to avoid a monotonous black.
Fibre bundles are dyed 50/50 with sulphur-threne dye and 50/50 with reactive dye, and then spun to create the top yarn.
If you look at photos of the product, it doesn't look like a flat black, but rather a mix of black and blue. This blueness is the sulphur-threne dye.
Reactive dyes are black, so by blending them from the fibre stage, we create a textured look with a blend of black and blue.
Also, while the blue of the sulphur-threne dye remains with washing, the black of the reactive dye will fade to a reddish hue.
This is a product that you can enjoy as it ages, branching out within a single thread, a process that is unique to top yarns and doesn't occur with yarn-dyed or counter-dyed yarns.
Now, let's move on to the cool details.
The crew neck, made from the same fabric, has set-in sleeves, but the hoodie features freedom sleeves that curve from the shoulders to the arms.
The design was conceived to make throwing easier in ball games, and so it doesn't feel restrictive around the shoulders.
The functional beauty of the design shines through, incorporating details from vintage sportswear.
The kangaroo pocket is also a design element of functional beauty.
It's a vintage detail that was used more to keep hands warm than to store things.
This pocket design is common on modern parkas, but this product has ribbing sandwiched into the pocket opening for increased durability.
This attention to detail is truly impressive.
The ribbing at the wrists is long, another functional vintage detail.
A certain length is necessary to achieve stretch without synthetic fibres, which is why the ribbing is so long.
Another benefit is that the long ribbing fits snugly around the wrists, preventing outside air from entering and preventing air warmed by body heat from escaping.
The ribbing was made long to ensure stretch and improve warmth.
We've put together a look with this parka!
Height: 180cm / Wearing Size: 50
We've kept the look simple with just black items! The depth of the black looks cool even from a distance.
This black hoodie is a brushed-up version of a classic, combining warmth, comfort, aging, and detail!
It definitely stands out from the mass-produced items that are all over the world!
Be sure to come and see it in store!
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