To the best denim factory in Japan . Whole View of EDWIN Vol.01
EDUIN has been making jeans for many years since the dawn of Japanese casual fashion. The jeans factories and the craftsmen who work there are the ones who have supported this long history from the aspect of manufacturing. In this report, we will visit Akita Hose, a sewing factory and Jeans MCD, a washing factory in Akita Prefecture, the production base of EDUIN, which has grown to become the largest jeans manufacturer in Japan, and report on the process of making a pair of jeans. We will take a closer look at the manufacturing process of "EDUIN".
EDOIN is a brand that symbolizes Japan denim and leads Japanese casual fashion. Did you know that its manufacturing base was in Tohoku? Nearly half a century ago, Edouin established its own factories one after another in the Tohoku region to mass-produce jeans. The company has been enhancing its domestic production system. Currently, the company's own factories and cooperative factories are operating mainly in Akita and Aomori. In this issue, we visited the oldest factory, Akita Hose in Gojome, Akita Prefecture, to find out the origin of Eduin's manufacturing.
It takes about 40 minutes by car from the center of Akita City to Gojome Town, where Akita Hose is located. It is a peaceful town with rice paddies surrounding it. A factory was established here 45 years ago. The factory, which used to sew men's wear, was renovated and "Akita Hose" was established as a subsidiary of "Edouin. The factory is the backbone of the Edouin brand and handles everything from cutting to sewing, including the production of flagship Edouin models. It is also used as a training site for employees, making it a very important base for EDUIN. Let's take a step-by-step look at how jeans are made at Akita Hose.
Cutting.
Jeans making begins with the cutting of denim fabric.
Jeans production begins with cutting raw denim from all over the world, including China and Turkey, as well as Japan. Akita Hose stocks dozens of different types of raw fabrics, each about a meter long, in two raw fabric warehouses. The racks containing the fabrics to be used are automatically unloaded by machine. Akita Hose used to do all cutting by hand, but in 1992, an automatic cutting machine was introduced. In 1992, an automatic cutting machine was introduced, which greatly improved efficiency.
After the raw rolls are transported away by forklift, they are sent to a process called stretching. Here, the rolls are stretched and folded in layers to prepare them for cutting. Typically, the fabric is rolled out 25 meters long and folded 30 times, and then cut in 60 layers of fabric. In total, about 1,200 pairs of jeans are made from 1,500 meters of fabric. When they are ready, a large pattern is placed on them, but even making the pattern requires skill. CAD data is generated based on the specifications and patterns sent from the head office, and patterns are made by laying out the parts so that as little fabric as possible is wasted. Manual work is more efficient for layout than using a computer program. A special cutting machine starts cutting according to the completed pattern. The cutting process takes approximately one hour. The cutting machine moves with unmatched precision, cutting out the necessary parts for the jeans one after another.
The cut parts are taken out by hand and numbered to identify where they will be used. The fabric is folded and cut so that the two sides of the fabric overlap alternately, and the orientation of the fabric is aligned at the same time. Excess fabric is recycled as much as possible, for example, for use in car interiors.
Some rolls cannot be cut at once with a cutting machine because the fabric is held together with tape. In such cases, they are sometimes cut by hand. In such cases, the cutting is sometimes done by hand.
Among the cut parts, the back pocket is the first to be sent to the next process. The number of pockets that can be embroidered at one time is 30, enough for 15 pairs of jeans. This process is necessary because the sewing of the jeans itself begins right after the pockets are attached to the back of the jeans.
Sewing.
Japan quality produced by skilled sewing techniques.
After the fabric has been cut, it is next sent to the sewing factory next door. More than 100 sewing machines are in operation here. The work is divided by process, and jeans are sewn one after another in a streamlined workflow. All staff members live in Akita. The goal is to produce 1,300 pairs of jeans a day. The factory always has wired music playing, creating a relaxed atmosphere, but everyone is focused on their work. The sewing processes range from relatively simple to difficult, but the workers hone their skills by experiencing a variety of processes.
The sewing of jeans begins with sewing the back yoke on the rear body. A special "wrapper" is attached to the sewing machine and sewn around the back yoke. Once that is done, the back pockets are attached. Use a laser pointer to place it in the correct position, and sew it on while holding it with air pressure (first picture). At this point, also insert the pith name into the left pocket. At the base of the pocket, place a kanuki for reinforcement (second sheet).
The front is made at the same time as sewing the back. After sewing the inner pockets of the left and right front pockets, the "other side fabric" (where the coin pocket is attached on the right front) is stacked and sewn together. Next, a zipper is attached to the left front, and reinforcing stitches are added.
After attaching the parts to the left and right front and back body parts, sew them together. The first step is to sew the buttocks of the left and right back body parts together. This process, known as "buttstitching," is said to be the most difficult part of the jeans sewing process, and is performed by skilled staff (first picture). After the left and right sides of the front body are sewn, the front and back bodies are sewn together. First, the inside of the legs are sewn together with the inside of the legs turned inside out (3rd photo), and the stitches are not cut after each stitch, but are connected to the next one by thread. This makes it easier to work (4th photo). After that, reinforcement stitches are placed on the inner thighs and three can stitches are placed on the crotch area, then the jeans are cut apart one by one. Finally, the outside of the legs are sewn together, and all the body parts are joined.
After the front, back, left and right sides of the body are sewn together, the jeans are hung on hangers while still inside out, and are then transported by machine to the next process.
After stitching to reinforce the inner pockets and sewing the belt parts, hangers are hung back from the hem area to the belt area to make it easier to wrap the hem. Then, we attach the belt loops, top buttons, rivets, and other small parts.
Finally, the jeans are turned inside out again, and the hems are rolled and sewn using a sewing machine equipped with a "wrapper" device. The jeans are then sent for final inspection.
Finished jeans are sorted by model and size and sent to the inspection operation. They are carefully checked for flaws, fraying, missing parts, etc.
Jeans are completed through a number of processes, and each pair takes about half a day to complete. After passing through the inspection machine, the jeans are shipped to the processing factory once a day in the evening.
