The Story Behind RARE - details

In our last post we talked about the journey we took to create the RARE fabric. But the fabric is not the only part of RARE that we are proud of. There are so many elements that makes RARE special. Here are some of the details that represents our craftsmanship.

Stitching

Sewing RARE takes twice as many steps as regular 5 pocket jeans, and highly skilled workers. RARE is entirely constructed by single stitching. This is because single stitch is stronger and longer lasting than chain stitch which can unravel rather easily. In addition, we apply hidden tonal stitching with durable polyester-core thread underneath the contrast stitching with cotton thread on parts that bear extra pressure.

Deer Leather

RARE's leather patch is made of indigo-dyed deer leather. You can enjoy the aging of the leather patch as well as the denim. This strong yet soft leather is also used in between rivets and fabric, and in button holes in order to protect the fabric from being damaged by metal parts.

Iron & Copper

We chose to use iron for buttons, and the combination of iron and copper for rivets. Along with denim, the buttons and rivets will age and becomes rusty adding more character to your RARE.

Pocket Sleek

You might think, who cares about pocket sleek? Well, we do. We used the same undyed yarns used to weave RARE denim to weave pocket sleek fabric. So the pocket sleek is as heavy and durable as the denim weighing 15.5 oz, yet it does not feel too rough when you slip your hand into the pocket. The bottom half (below the horizontal pocket stitch) of jeans back pockets and denim jacket front chest pocket is also lined with this fabric to prevent rips.

Wrench Proof

Unsanforized denim not only shrink more than sanforized denim, but also skew which makes your jean leg to twist. In 1980 when we created the original version of RARE, we developed the pattern called "Wrench Proof" that takes skewing of fabric into calculation. With this, the jean leg is pre-twisted in the beginning (see the side seams don't fall straight in below picture?), and it straightens back in place after you wash them.

Craftsman Mark

You can find Craftsman Mark on buttons and pocket sleek of RARE models. This Craftsman Mark is placed as a proof of our effort to create the very best jeans we could make in Japan today.

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Nov 14, 2014