Over here, we have a sense that the Japanese are masters of design, with a great aesthetic that extends into fields such as clothing, graphic design, architecture and technology. It’s equally true that many people in Japan are fans of British design, and this is something that Sunspel has discovered. Sunspel is the maker of – what one prominent magazine dubbed – the best T-shirts you can buy. Based in a small factory in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, it has been around since 1860, and enjoys a somewhat cult following in the land of the rising sun.

Given this, it was perhaps inevitable that Sunspel would strive to have the softest and most comfortable jeans synonymous with the denim found in Japan. As experts in fabric development and celebrated makers of what were once American imports – T-shirts and boxer shorts – Sunspel is well placed to become obsessed with the development of its own version of Japanese denim jeans. And ‘obsessed’ is the right word.

‘Once you get into the intricacies of denim manufacture it becomes utterly fascinating and absorbing,’ explains Nicholas Brooke, Sunspel’s CEO. ‘What the Japanese do with denim – the way they think about it – is the equivalent of what we do here at Sunspel with our fabrics; for example, we have invented a number of materials like our Q75 warp knit mesh cotton, and Q14 warp knit cellular cotton. It can sound a bit technical, but it basically means great fabrics fit for purpose. The Japanese are similarly amazing craftsmen, attentive to every detail, and are totally committed to producing the best quality.’

After the Second World War, many people in Japan became interested in Americana, and this led to the development of the Japanese denim industry – makers who decided that they would like to create denim products to rival those from the States. The starting point was weaving the fabric, and the new Japanese producers adopted the standard method for the time, which employed a shuttle loom and resulted in what is still known to this day as “selvedge” denim. But there is more to Japanese techniques and, with comfort always at the forefront of every Sunspel garment, the brand searched out a Japanese partner who could deliver a material as light and comfortable as its famous T-shirts.

They discoverd the Kuroki mill in the city of Ibara in Okayama – a factory that has been specialising in rope-dyed denim techniques since 1965. This gave a more authentic look to their products and allowed the fabric to develop fades that mimicked and even rivalled those of the original blue jean makers in America. This more modern take on Japanese denim creates a stretch fabric that is designed for comfort and is perfectly suited to Sunspel.

‘They do the whole process,’ enthuses Brooke, ‘from dyeing and weaving to finishing’. He also explains that the Kuroki mill is supplied with natural water. ‘The purity of the water is used in the manufacture of the denim and results in a softness in the fabric, which perfectly complements our soft knitted pieces. We’re all about comfort at Sunspel.’

Brooke says he chose to work with the mill in Ibara because he feels the team there understand Sunspel’s dedication to making the best quality products. ‘Like all our partners, I feel this firm shares our ideals and values – particularly the importance of craftsmanship and quality control. I was drawn to its environmental consciousness, too. All the water used is treated, and is returned to the river and then irrigates the rice paddies and vegetable fields of Okayama.’

As for the jeans themselves, Sunspel has, as with everything it does, kept it simple: two fits (slim and regular) and two colours (a dark blue or light blue wash). It has also incorporated a subtle stretch in the fibre for comfort. The result does indeed make the perfect complement to the firm’s celebrated high-quality knitwear.

sunspel.com