OD+PBJ 18oz. "Kakishibu" Selvedge Jeans (Relaxed Tapered)

• 18oz. proprietary Indigo x Kakishibu Japanese Selvedge Denim
• Unsanforized denim
• 100% Cotton
• Relax Tapered fit
• 5 button fly
• Blue Selvedge ID
• OD+PBJ "Kakishibu" pocket bags
• Hand painted Kakishibu Cowhide Leather waistband patch
• "Kakishibu" Vein Tonal stitching Leaf Logo
• Red & White belt loop stitching on a single back left belt loop
• Raised Belt loops
• PBJ Original hardware (buttons & rivets)

Pure Blue Japan, the epitome of honest craft and sincere construction. Where it all began, the very first brand we ever carried at OD. Following up from last year's 20th Anniversary commemorative collection, we knew we had to put together something stellar. So of course, the conversation began at Selvedge. While there were a stream of initial ideas that arose from our brainstorming sessions, natural dye and artisan (or shokunin) craft kept coming up as key words. Kakishibu has been woven into the social and cultural fabric of Japanese society since it initial introduction to Japanese soil in the 13th century. With a wide range of applications, Kakishibu has historically been used as wood lacquer, as a clearing agent in the production of sake, and even as a cure for hangovers!

As production began with the fabric, our main incentive with this project was to highlight that insane slub that PBJ has become renown for. If you know, you know. Aesthetically, it was imperative that we brought to market a fabric that retained all the texture, while looking nothing like anything available from the current PBJ lineup. The Indigo Warp is again the same yarn used for the warp of the XX-18oz-013, and the Kakishibu Weft also rests at that 18oz. weight, resulting in a fabric that is equal parts slub & nep galore. 

We weren't about to leave PBJ's iconic leaf behind. The color scheme took some adjusting over several rounds of sampling. Eventually we settled on only switching out the classic Indigo vein for a Kakishibu vein, leaving the dotted red Selvedge salute unchanged. The pocket bag and leather patch is where we were able to let loose, and brought in artist and PBJ superfan, Nathan Spoor, for the design. Riding that Kakishibu wave, the design developed by Nathan is immaculate and would have been flawless just as is. But how crazy would it be if we hand dyed each one of these leather patches in Kakishibu, we thought.

Cue another PBJ superfan and all around good dude, Mike Falkner of Wild Frontier Goods. His foray into leather craft already rivals some of the best leather craftsman in the biz, and he's just getting started! His shared passion for Japanese craft and natural dyes struck a cord with our team, and we wanted to get Mike and his paintbrush on board for the latest OD+PBJ. Each leather patch is hand painted in natural Kakishibu, with horizontal painted streaks, giving the patch an aesthetic similar to wood. The hue of the Kakishibu paint will lighten with wear, developing patina in tandem with the denim fades.

The relaxed tapered has a lengthier front rise, a wider thigh and aggressive taper from the knee down creating an aesthetically pleasing silhouette, while still maintaining maximum comfort. Like many of Pure Blue Japan's jeans, the fabric is of a low-tension shuttle loom, thus featuring the slubby and hairy feeling fabric common to Pure Blue Japan denim. The production of these jeans are constant through out every year in several different batches because the production output of each fabric is very limited.