Our third Okayama Denim original takes us into territory we have not explored before, and as with everything we put the OD name on, we were not going to do it halfway. The result is a collection of four Natural Indigo Sashiko Lined Canvas Tote Bags that bring together materials and makers from the world we know best, built to a size and standard that we felt was genuinely missing from what was already out there.
The body is comprised of a No. 8 canvas sourced from Okayama, the same region that was Japan's largest producer of Hanpu (帆布) sailcloth long before denim took over as the area's defining textile identity. The No.8 fabric weave chosen was the perfect middle-ground found in order to balance weight and rigidity for this bag project. The OD logo is screenprinted directly onto the canvas in color, kept clean and legible against the natural fabric face.
The lining is where things get interesting. Each bag is lined with a Natural Indigo Sashiko fabric from Tsujimura-Ai, whose Kasezome-dyed (Skein-dyed) cloth has appeared in a number of our collaborations and continues to be one of our favorite materials to work with. Because of the way the bag is constructed, it is fully reversible, meaning the Sashiko lining can be worn facing outward if you want to lead with that side of the story. Four fabric variations are available across the collection, giving each bag its own character while sharing the same meticulous construction and base canvas fabric.
