Loop & Weft | Tompkins Knit Sweatshirts

Fall brings the heat, around here, if you’ve been following the OD story you know that already. One fabric blows our minds every time it comes around from Loop & Weft. The Tompkins Knit fabric is quite possibly one of the softest sweat fabrics that we have ever stocked, and it is thanks to the purveyors of "Best Knitwear in Japan", that production of these garments is still kicking. It is well known that Loopwheel is the standard for premium quality when it comes to sweatshirt material, with only two factories left in Wakayama still able to produce the esteemed fabric. Tompkins is like the new (actually, really damn old) standard, with a single factory in Wakayama left that only allows 1-2 machines to keep running the production for Tompkins fabric. The reason? Simple economics - Loopwheel is more profitable, and better known amongst clients, hence easier to sell as a fabric and garment.

Want a sweatshirt with an inner that feels like a Lambswool sweater? Tompkins is the answer, look no further. The Tompkins Upright Rotary Knitting Machine, a rare vintage find (especially in Japan), creates a balanced fabric with its slow and steady pace. This produces a fabric that is similar in texture and weight to sweat jersey knit in the late 1800s.

Featuring ribbed construction on the kangaroo pocket, 2 needle flat seam sewing construction & the quintessential vintage hoodie detail, the post attached hood. A detail born out of necessity, athletes & laborers alike wanted protection from the elements, and Champion stitched on hoods to their classic crewneck sweatshirts starting in the late 30s.

While simple in appearance, the construction of this piece is second to none. The attachment of the binder neck in particular requires the meticulous care and skill of a sewing artisan, along with the vintage-inspried ribbed cuffs and hem.

While most sweatshirts are produced using a thicker thread (30-ban in Japanese), the production of these Tompkins sweatshirts use a thinner 40-ban yarn to create a fabric that gives any Loopwheel sweatshirt out on the market a serious run for its money. This also helps to ensure the perfect balance between stretch and retention of the fabric over a long period of wear.

Also available with a classic V-Gusset on the front, below the neckline. While mostly phased out by brands that produce sweatshirts due to the confusion caused about its true intent, historically the V-Gusset was added to serve two functions.

Along with the binder neck, the gusset adds an extra layer of reinforcement at the neckline to ensure longevity as the wearer's head is pulled in and out of the garment. Secondly, the gusset helps to absorb sweat. If you've ever done a workout wearing a sweatshirt you will know that sweat tends to build up a lot around the upper-chest area. Thus, the placement of the gusset is perfect to provide a small layer of sweat absorption.

In a similar fashion to the binder neck construction featured at the neckline of this sweatshirt, the cuffs and hem are woven at the perfect tension to give a form-fitting factor in these areas without feeling restrictive.