A reason to reach for it every day. A denim skirt made especially for us, born in Kojima, the town of textiles

Okayama Prefecture's Kojima is a denim-producing area famous not only in Japan but around the world. FOB FACTORY is a brand based there, working with local artisans and dedicated to creating denim products whose true value reveals itself only after years of wear. Having witnessed the rise and fall of countless denim trends, they want everyone who picks up their pieces to genuinely feel "I'm glad I bought this." This sincere approach to clothes-making, rooted in that mindset, is the defining feature of the brand.

We at ZUTTO were drawn to this approach to clothes-making at FOB FACTORY. This time, as a special order piece, we've reworked their standard denim skirt into one with a comfortable, relaxed feel. The reason you'll want to reach for it every day lies in that very "comfort."

What does comfortable wear really mean?

What comes to mind when you hear "comfortable to wear"? A soft feel against the skin, breathability in summer, quick-drying qualities when you sweat—these things change depending on the season. One perspective we're focusing on this time is 【stretch that moves with the body】. The idea is to feel good while wearing clothes, without anything constricting the body. With this in mind at ZUTTO, we thought: could we take the popular signature fabric used by FOB FACTORY—makers devoted to sincere denim products—and turn it into a denim skirt, a staple item for women?

Another point of comfort here is 【holding its shape】. When people think of stretchy, non-restrictive fabric, 【sweatshirt material】 often comes to mind first. But because this kind of fabric is made by knitting a single thread into cloth, areas like the knees—which move a lot—tend to lose their shape after a day of wear. The fabric we chose this time, 【RELAX DENIM】, was created to solve exactly that problem.

The starting point for this special-order skirt: the men's F0423 ONOFF TROUSERS

With their refined silhouette and texture, these denim trousers have long been popular both on and off duty—as casual office wear, and as a bottom for pulling together a polished outfit on days off. Using this denim fabric, beloved as a signature item since its release, we've now created a daily wear piece that women can wear without stress: this special-order item, the RELAX DENIM Skirt CHARCOAL HEATHER .

No stress, whether you're wearing it once or wearing it for years

To begin with, the relaxed feel of sweatshirt fabric or stretchy knitwear comes from "knitting." There are many types of knitting, but generally, a knit fabric is made by forming loops, hooking the next thread through those loops, and repeating this to build up the cloth. "Woven fabric," on the other hand, is created by interlacing warp and weft threads, which gives it far less stretch than knitted fabric compared to a knit. One of its features is that it doesn't easily lose its shape. This skirt combines two qualities that normally can't coexist: 【comfort】 and 【shape retention】.

Fitted with a slit for ease of movement

The secret to its comfort lies in the weave structure (the combination of threads). Like an ordinary woven fabric, it's constructed with warp and weft threads, but 1% polyurethane is used to create a pile texture on the reverse side. Rather than relying on polyurethane thread for stretch, as with stretch pants, this fabric achieves a stretch that wouldn't normally be possible through the combination of threads themselves. The result is a fabric with a softness close to sweatshirt material, yet—being a woven fabric—far more resistant to losing its shape.

There's real craftsmanship behind this rich, heathered black tone as well: it was inspired by vintage sweatshirts of the past, with entirely new thread developed to recreate that look. It pairs beautifully with a wide variety of tops, making it a versatile shade for many different outfits.

The 【special order】 RELAX DENIM Skirt CHARCOAL HEATHER was born from our wish to bring this relaxed denim fabric to women as well—but it originally began as a men's item. We spoke with someone at FOB FACTORY who actually wears the original denim trousers themselves, to hear about the development process and their experience as an everyday wearer.

"We wanted to create a fabric that delivered the comfort of sweatpants while still looking refined. Sweatpants are soft and stretchy—comfortable to wear—but if you put them on in the morning, by evening the knees have bagged out and lost their shape, giving a somewhat sloppy impression. That's a drawback we felt strongly about. So we set out to achieve both outstanding comfort and durability at the same time, and that's how RELAX DENIM came about. Even after wearing pants made from this fabric every day for a week straight, we haven't noticed any stretching out or loss of shape."

"Since it's such a sturdy material, there's really nothing special you need to worry about when washing it. This particular color is especially durable, since it's made with yorimoku (a yarn made by twisting together two or more threads of different colors). We'd recommend air-drying it outside rather than using a dryer. If you're concerned about fading in the sun, dry it in the shade according to the care label."

The clothes you love most tend to get worn the most often. And it's a shame when a favorite piece loses its shape simply because you love wearing it so much. Being able to wear and wash something without worry is an essential quality for daily wear.

A piece that broadens the range of your everyday style

The skirt we made this time is set slightly longer than the length of the standard denim skirt offered by FOB FACTORY. This was a point we were mindful of, aiming to make it easy to pair with various tops and to broaden the range of styling options.
 

(Model's height: 158cm, size worn: 5)

Left: ST.SKIRT 28color Skirt, Right: [Special Order] RELAX DENIM Skirt CHARCOAL HEATHER

With a silhouette free of unnecessary embellishment and a nicely compact fit, it pairs seamlessly with more elegant tops, while its denim fabric also makes it well-suited to casual styling.

Also pairs well with elegant tops

Cosmorama Tuck T-shirt (SMOKE NAVY), Leather Belt PV667, STERLING SILVER BANGLE SB31

It also goes great with casual T-shirts

Mini Pile Border T-shirt (BLACK/WHITE), 2way Square Bag Navy

A piece made with quality materials to deliver truly comfortable wear. Since this is a standard denim skirt that comes in handy across a wide range of seasons, it's one you'll want to choose carefully so it fits naturally into your everyday life.

>> FOB FACTORY

Based in Kojima, a famous denim-producing region, FOB FACTORY has continued making clothes with its craftspeople working as one. Having lived through various denim booms—Levi's, the vintage clothing boom, and the arrival of numerous imported denim brands—they arrived at a philosophy that goes beyond mere appearances: to make clothes that people are glad they bought even after wearing them for two or three years, and to have a positive influence on the lives of the people who wear the clothes they make. This is craftsman's-spirit, made-in-Japan denim. From the thread and fabric to the sewing, buttons, and zippers, they continue to pursue what they truly believe to be good.