CONCEPT
In the realm of casual apparel, sweatshirts have become a ubiquitous presence, a staple in wardrobes worldwide. Yet, amidst this vast array of options, the quest for a truly exceptional sweatshirt remains a challenge. WASEW's "TOUGH BRAIDED SWEAT" emerges as a testament to this pursuit, a garment that transcends fleeting trends and embodies the very essence of what a sweatshirt should be.
SIDE RIB
Emerging from the heart of 1920s America, the "sweatshirt" initially carved its niche as a stalwart of athletic wear. True to its intended purpose, the sweatshirt distinguished itself by its remarkable elasticity and moisture-wicking properties, catering to the demands of active individuals. A particularly noteworthy innovation was the introduction of "side ribs," a construction technique that incorporated ribbed panels along the garment's sides. This ingenious design served to address the sweatshirt's susceptibility to vertical shrinkage, a common issue that hindered its range of motion.
WASEW's "TOUGH BRAIDED SWEAT SHIRT" adopts this traditional side rib. In addition, to achieve a comfortable skin feel, it also adopts the technique of "flat seam" with less uneven seams. These techniques are often omitted nowadays, but they are important functions that can be said to be the very reason why sweatshirts have become a staple item.
HEAVY WEIGHT
Evolving from athletic wear and also adopted as training wear for American football, sweatshirts have a heavyweight fabric with strong resistance to rubbing and pulling. It may be that the thickness and toughness of vintage sweatshirts also have a background in such demand.
WASEW's "TOUGH BRAIDED" was named because it embodies this "toughness" with its heavy-ounce fabric, sewing, and manufacturing method.
TSURIAMI COTTON
The concept of the "TOUGH BRAIDED SWEAT" is to "pick up the reasons for being chosen from its roots." There is respect for the original there. In the era when vintage sweatshirt fabrics were being made, there was no high-speed production equipment like today, and cotton fabrics were knitted over time. We felt that in order to reproduce this genuine texture and comfort, we needed fabric produced using the same old-fashioned knitting machines from the same era. Therefore, we decided to produce the fabric using the hanging knitting machines that have been around for a long time in Wakayama, Japan a famous place for knitwear.
WASEW comittted to make a genuine "vintage sweatshirt" instead of a vintage-style one.
The fabric that is knitted slowly hangs down under its own weight, putting no strain on the yarn. This is the reason for the gentle skin feel that is said to "knit air in." We have achieved the texture that was lost in the pursuit of production efficiency using traditional methods.
STYLE
Worn as casual everyday wear at home and then worn out as is. Sweatshirts have somehow become a versatile item for people. They are comfortable to relax in at home and look presentable enough to wear out. The "TOUGH BRAIDED SWEAT" is a warm and new sweatshirt that has been carefully designed and manufactured to be used in both ways.
