Up for sale here is a knit cotton shirt from the Momotaro label. Momotaro is perhaps best known for their denim manufacturing. They’re one of those willfully small Japanese labels that set up shop in Okayama, using old school looms and some very skilled artisans who’ve been making jeans for decades. Just as Momotaro jeans are some of the best out there, you can bet that their other products are of equally high quality.
In fact, Momotaro’s range extends pretty far beyond just jeans. They make some really nice tees, work shirts and outerwear as well. While many of their products are denim, they also branch out into other textiles. However, quality is always paramount with Momotaro. You can be sure that you’re getting a high quality garment, very well constructed and built to last when you see their name. Given what they do I am a bit surprised they haven’t caught on more outside of Japan, but that’s no knock on their products in any way.
So what we have here is Momotaro’s take on the classic button down work shirt. Being Momotaro, they’ve added in a number of details. First the material: we’ve got a light weight knit cotton here, done in a striped pattern. Material has a very nice texture to it, with quite a bit more feeling to it compared to a more standard cotton. This looks very much like the product of a vintage shuttle loom, where the knit is pleasantly uneven, creating that unique texture. Momotaro produces exclusively in the Kojima area of central Japan, sticking largely to vintage machinery. You can see the love and details that they put in on these kinds of pieces.
A good number of additional details are included as well. All buttons are vegetable ivory cat’s eye buttons. The front has an asymmetric pocket formation, where the right pocket has a subtle expansion gusset allowing for additional storage. Shoulder seam curves along the rear, the hem has side gussets with selvedge detailing and chain stitch runoff, and the interior has nicely contrasting red and white bobbin thread.
Size is labeled a 40 and fits like a somewhat slim medium. I measure the chest at 19” / 49cm, shoulders at 17” / 44cm, length at 27” / 69cm, and sleeves at 24” / 61cm from the shoulder. The shirt comes in lightly used, very good shape with no holes, tears, stains, or any visible signs of wear. Made in Japan.
Shipping from Japan to anywhere will be $24.
