The craftspeople who make Battenwear here in the United States, on both coasts and in between, moved here from all over the world, have varied backgrounds and mother tongues, and differ wildly in their approach to manufacturing. However, the one thing that these awesome people have in common is that they are all problem solvers by nature.
You can see this in our clothing and gear. There is a roughness in construction that reflects the approach of the sewers in their particular settings and circumstances. Our design process always prepares and provides for this, becoming flexible as each new production challenge emerges. Nothing we make rolls off an assembly line, cookie cut to perfection. Each item is created individually and has its own unique problem-solved qualities.
All of which is to say that, as far as we are concerned, the most important ingredient in making classic American outdoor gear is American ingenuity.
So for SS21, we decided to take a small segment of our collection and see what happened if we made it in Japan instead.
You can see this in our clothing and gear. There is a roughness in construction that reflects the approach of the sewers in their particular settings and circumstances. Our design process always prepares and provides for this, becoming flexible as each new production challenge emerges. Nothing we make rolls off an assembly line, cookie cut to perfection. Each item is created individually and has its own unique problem-solved qualities.
All of which is to say that, as far as we are concerned, the most important ingredient in making classic American outdoor gear is American ingenuity.
So for SS21, we decided to take a small segment of our collection and see what happened if we made it in Japan instead.
To start, we selected a handful of our favorite Battenwear items and reimagined them using Japanese fabrics for Japanese sewing tables. We did not change the design of any style, but we did our best to remove our expectations for the finished product, allowing for what could be gained in translation.
As for what Japanese ingenuity looks like? We're very pleased and think you will be too. Three of the styles (the Packable Windstopper, the Stretch Climbing Pants, and the Weekend Shorts) are built using Japanese milled Cool Max® Stretch which is wonderfully breathable, slightly stretchy for comfort, and engineered to keep you cool and dry through sweat wicking properties. It is a great fabric that felt to us like a great match for the place where the items were to be made.
To round out the capsule, we made the Beach Tee in a soft Japanese cotton terry creating a shirt that's the height of comfort, great to sweat in or throw on after swimming.
As for what Japanese ingenuity looks like? We're very pleased and think you will be too. Three of the styles (the Packable Windstopper, the Stretch Climbing Pants, and the Weekend Shorts) are built using Japanese milled Cool Max® Stretch which is wonderfully breathable, slightly stretchy for comfort, and engineered to keep you cool and dry through sweat wicking properties. It is a great fabric that felt to us like a great match for the place where the items were to be made.
To round out the capsule, we made the Beach Tee in a soft Japanese cotton terry creating a shirt that's the height of comfort, great to sweat in or throw on after swimming.
This capsule has been a lot of fun to conceptualize and watch come to life, but in the end, gear is made to be worn. We trust you'll put it to the test. Enjoy!
