The Same Sashiko Texture.

A Completely Different Feel.

Few people have ever stopped to think about what yarn is used in sashiko. The bold, textured surface created by its raised weave — that is sashiko's defining character. And precisely because that character holds up regardless of the yarn, the quality of the thread has rarely been called into question.

MOMOTARO JEANS chose to confront that assumption. Using 100% Suvin Cotton — an extra-long staple fiber — sashiko's distinctive texture is preserved while gaining the suppleness and flexibility needed to function as true clothing. Beyond that, the dyeing process was engineered from the ground up to achieve the brand's signature "特濃 - TOKUNO BLUE" on sashiko's uniquely uneven surface.

Honoring a traditional craft while bringing material and process up to the standard of real garments — SASHIKO OVERDYE is a collection built on that commitment.

FABRIC

It Starts at the Loom

Sashiko's textured surface is formed as individual threads interlace, rising and falling across the weave. Watching the fabric take shape on the loom, you begin to understand how much yarn sashiko demands — and how much the quality of each thread matters to the final result.

The green of moss is never just one color. Depending on how light falls, the level of humidity, and the time of year, even the same patch of moss can shift in impression. The Japanese language has long distinguished these subtle differences with care.

Koke-iro captures the green of moss itself. Oi-midori ("aged green") describes a green that has deepened over time. Chitose-midori ("thousand-year green") is the name given to a green that endures without fading across the ages. From a single plant, this many color names were born — a testament to how deeply moss has been woven into daily life in Japan.

Could that delicate world of color be expressed in denim? Could moss be extracted and used as a dye? We began by working through those questions, one step at a time.

The Choice: Suvin Cotton

For this collection, the yarn selected was Suvin Cotton, an extra-long staple cotton cultivated in limited quantities in southern India. Its long, supple fibers bring flexibility to the fabric even within sashiko's dense weave structure.

Turning sashiko into clothing requires maintaining its bold surface texture while achieving the drape to follow the body, the give to move with the wearer, and the structure to hold a clean silhouette. The decision to use 100% Suvin Cotton comes from a clear intention: not to stop at sashiko as a textile, but to deliver it as a garment.

Achieving "特濃 - TOKUNO BLUE" on Sashiko

This sashiko is finished in two colors: INDIGO and BLACK.

For INDIGO, the raw fabric is first dyed with indigo, then overdyed using reactive dyes — building a process that reaches the target color and delivers a consistent result. For BLACK, the raw fabric is finished with sulfur dyeing. Black is a color that conceals nothing, which is exactly why a straightforward method was chosen — letting the inherent quality of the material speak for itself.

INDIGO and BLACK are not simply two colorways. Choosing a color means choosing the character of the finished piece. Selecting the material, building the process, and facing each step of the dyeing — that accumulation is the essence of MOMOTARO JEANS' craftsmanship.

SASHIKO OVERDYE: 5 Styles

Sashiko woven from Suvin Cotton, finished in two distinct dye processes. This fabric is expressed through five styles, each designed to serve a different role.