This inlay-knitted shirt is crafted from aged cotton using a vintage loopwheel machine. Typically, cotton is transported in compressed bales, but before spinning, we allow it to mature slowly in a temperature- and humidity-controlled room for 30 to 50 days. This process restores the cotton to its original fullness and softness, giving it a rich, fluffy character. From this carefully prepared cotton, we spin our yarns and knit them in Wakayama on time-honored loopwheel machines.
Ordinarily, these machines produce about one meter of fabric per hour. However, because we use high-gauge yarn and employ a challenging inlay-knitting method, our output is only about 48 centimeters per hour. The process is slow and labor-intensive, but the results speak for themselves: a rare fabric that feels almost moist to the touch—plush and substantial, yet with less stretch than standard loopwheel knits. We’ve also refined the silhouette: despite being loopwheel-knitted, the shirt features split sides for comfort and movement.
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The Seven Gods of Good Fortune (Shichifukujin) emerged in the late Muromachi period (around 1500) and became beloved deities among the common people. It is believed that visiting shrines dedicated to them can dispel seven types of misfortune while bestowing seven kinds of blessings. Interestingly, some of these deities originated outside Japan—in India and China—before being adopted into Japanese spiritual traditions, where they remain venerated to this day.
The two figures depicted here are Daikokuten and Ebisu. Daikokuten, shown with a mallet in his right hand and a treasure pouch in his left, is revered as the god of fortune and wealth. Ebisu, holding a sea bream in one hand and a fishing rod in the other, is honored as the god of prosperous business. These two deities are particularly significant in Japanese culture, and even today, many businesspeople make regular visits to shrines enshrining Daikokuten and Ebisu, seeking continued success and good fortune.