A T-shirt with casual style and sturdy, honest construction: FRUIT OF THE LOOM

It's nice to have a few T-shirts on hand for everyday wear. A T-shirt that's neither too thin nor too thick, one you can throw on casually in summer, comes in handy time and again. Because the T-shirt is such a basic item, many people may never have really taken the time to consider one carefully. Precisely because it's something you wear so casually, it's worth trying out different colors, prints, fabric thicknesses, and silhouettes. If you're choosing a T-shirt right now, we recommend one from FRUIT OF THE LOOM, the classic American brand. 

T-shirt: Crew Neck Short-Sleeve T-Shirt with Pocket
Pants: Cotton Roll-Up Pants
Sandals: Fringed Cross Espadrille Mules BE
Bag: ERIC tan
Belt: [Special Order] DOUBLE 3PLY BELT

FRUIT OF THE LOOM is

a classic American T-shirt and underwear brand.

The brand uses a tightly woven, high-gauge fabric,

knitting fine-count yarns at high density

to create the brand's signature dry, slightly rough-textured fabric with just the right feel. 

In fact, in America you can find it in the clothing section

of major supermarkets—it's the kind of brand people wear casually every day and wash again and again without a second thought. 

It's said that in America there's hardly anyone who doesn't recognize

this fruit brand logo—that's how deeply it's woven into people's daily lives. 

- The dry feel unique to casual wear

As opposed to fabrics that drape softly and cling to the body,

the T-shirt's wearing feel—with its firm thickness, easy release from the skin, and crisp touch—

is what's known as its "dry feel."

Draping fabrics give off an elegant, refined impression,

while dry T-shirts have a rougher, more natural and casual taste.

Since this comes down to personal preference and how you're styling your outfit at the moment,

it's hard to say which is better,

but dry fabric is highly absorbent and quick-drying, making it functional and substantial—

a great choice for anyone who values quality.

- Circular knitting, designed with comfort in mind

Some series use Tompkins knitting machines.

Invented in 1847 by Moss Meller, this circular knitting machine knits from the bottom upward,

leaving no seam at the sides—a feature that gives the shirt a stress-free wearing feel.

Compared to ordinary knitting machines, the Tompkins machine runs at a slower pace,

knitting only about 1 meter per hour, making it an inefficient production method.

But because no excess tension is placed on the yarn, it's knitted in a relaxed way,

resulting in a T-shirt that makes the most of the yarn's own natural softness.

In the brand name FRUIT OF THE LOOM, "LOOM" means a weaving machine.

And "FRUIT" doesn't just mean the food—it also carries the meaning of bearing fruit, of coming to fruition.

Put together, the name suggests something like "the fruit, or fulfillment, of the loom,"

which lets you sense the spirit and sense of responsibility the brand brings to the fabric (the T-shirts) it makes. 

T-shirt: Fruit-Dyed T-Shirt, Grape
Pants: Slim Fit Jeans 10D02 Ecru Denim
Sandals: Leather Strap Sandals, Bordeaux
Bag: DAILY DAYPACK NAVY
Bandana: Bandana Paisley, Regular Size

Among the FRUIT OF THE LOOM T-shirts featured on ZUTTO,

the ones colored yellow, green, or purple are fruit-dyed.

This unfamiliar term, "FRUIT DYE,"

refers to a new dyeing technique that blends 97% natural dye—extracted from fruit—

with just 3% chemical dye,

achieving vivid coloration while still meeting standard quality benchmarks for colorfastness.

As light reflects off the fabric, it creates depth and a subtle shimmer in the hue, giving rise to a unique color quality found nowhere else. 

A sticker reading "DYEING WITH MANGO" is attached.

Unlike chemical dyes, natural dyes such as fruit dye aren't made of a single structure;

a single color contains many different pigments that shift and change,

and it's said that as these shifting pigments scatter light irregularly, they can put people at ease

and help them relax deeply. 

True to their color names, the yellow T-shirt is dyed with mango, the green with kiwi,

the purple with grape, and the deep pink with strawberry—each one dyed using dye extracted from its namesake fruit.

When you hear "natural dye," what comes to mind is probably plant dyeing,

but the difference from plant dyeing lies in the vividness of the color.

Plant dyeing tends to produce calmer, more soothing shades,

whereas fruit dyeing

yields a lineup of vivid colors that put you in a cheerful mood when you wear them.

It's a vividness so bright it almost seems like you could catch the sweet scent of the fruit itself. 

< Fruit dyeing is done at a highly skilled Japanese factory ⟩

The fruit dyeing process takes place at a factory in Japan.

Only a limited number of factories have the technical skill needed

to blend fruit dye with chemical dye in a way that prevents the color fading that can occur with product dyeing methods like botanical dyeing,

while still achieving a rich, vivid finish.

特許もあるので、他社工場では生産出来ない特別なものなのだとか。

Because of the patent, this is a special process that can't be reproduced at other manufacturers' factories.

It might look like they're making delicious jam, but

for making the T-shirts, fruit is heated to extract the dye.

The simmered fruit is strained to extract the dye.

The carefully extracted fruit dyes are then blended to achieve the desired color.

Based on this special recipe, production then moves to a dye factory capable of mass production for the actual manufacturing process.  

＜Plain colors, and special prints from Fruit Parlor＞

The more you wear a fruit-dyed T-shirt, the more the surface color fades,

letting you enjoy a mellowed, ripened tone,

making it a piece you'll want to nurture into a T-shirt full of character.

Set against the depth of the dyed color,

the white stitching also looks wonderful.  

For women, S or M is a good guide; for men, M or L.

We also recommend women try a slightly larger M size, worn a bit oversized.

Rolling up the sleeves once or twice at that point gives it a stylish look.

Mango

A vivid, heart-lifting yellow dyed with mango.

It also seems to have a touch of orange, giving it a wonderfully nuanced hue.  

T-shirt: Fruit-Dyed T-Shirt, Mango
Skirt: Linen Swing Skirt, ANTHRACITE GREY
Sneakers: Low-Cut Sneakers, White
Bag: [Special Order] Akebi Basket (Plain Weave, Guni Handle, with Shoulder Strap)
Necklace: Necklace, Black Rectangle

There's also a version of the same mango T-shirt with a charming print.

This design was born from a collaboration with 10 up-and-coming artists from Japan and abroad,

at an exhibition called "Fruit Parlor."

It's part of a series in which artists used the T-shirt as a canvas to freely express

fruit in their own way, and this particular T-shirt, named "FACE,"

features fruit playfully drawn in a way reminiscent of the FRUIT OF THE LOOM brand logo.

Look closely and you'll spot eyes hidden among more than just the apple.  

Kiwi

On a base T-shirt dyed with kiwi,

somewhat mystical, tribal-style illustrations are drawn.

Along with fruits like grapes and apples,

trees and insects are also lined up like icons.

Since the illustration is quite lively, we recommend keeping the bottoms simple

for a clean, coordinated look.  

Apricot

Apricot is a lively color that should pair well with denim.

The color is vibrant, but not so sharp that it stands out awkwardly,

so it has the appeal of being approachable even for those who don't usually wear colored T-shirts.  

Wearing Paradise

T-shirt: FRUIT PARLOR Print T-Shirt, NOWART
Skirt: Linen Tiered Skirt
Sandals: Shower Sandals, P.BLANC

This one isn't a fruit-dyed T-shirt, but

it's from the same Fruit Parlor series,

with a striking, colorful, and fun design that catches the eye.

With a message of the comfort found in harmony with nature,

it looks as though a paradise of birds has been drawn upon it.  

2-Pack T-Shirts

Among the T-shirts other than the fruit-dyed ones,

there are also some sold as a 2-pack.

This set includes a white T-shirt and

a white × navy border-pattern T-shirt.

Both have a pocket on the left chest,

which serves as a nice accent within the casual design.

Unlike the undershirt-style tees often found in packs like this,

these are true outerwear staples that you can never have too many of,

and they're versatile items that work well in many outfits.  

T-shirt: Crew-Neck Short-Sleeve T-Shirt with Pocket
Pants: Belgian Linen Tucked Wide Pants
Shoes: T-Strap Shoes, DAISY/Marron Patent
Bag: FUKURO 2-Way Circle Shoulder Bag M
Hat: HAT01

・When Washing

When washing, there's no need to worry too much—

just wash it in the machine as usual.

To prevent the printed area from fading,

we also recommend turning the T-shirt inside out

so the print faces inward before washing.

・When Drying

Please hang it on a hanger to dry in a well-ventilated, shaded spot,

out of direct sunlight.

Be careful, as over-drying can make the fabric feel stiff

or cause the color to fade.  

▼Click here for the FRUIT OF THE LOOM brand page