Keep it long, treasure it long.

NANGA, delivering warmth

What is NANGA?

Down jackets and down coats are the kind of thing that, once you've experienced their warmth on a cold winter day, become hard to live without. Among these, the down products from NANGA are said to be some of the finest in quality found in Japan.

NANGA is based in Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture, once home to a silk floss futon industry that accounted for around 30% of the domestic market. Born in this town of down and feathers, NANGA has been making sleeping bags since its founding in 1941.
NANGA's dedication centers on its down. Using down sourced as a byproduct of the food industry, which is then washed and refined domestically, the brand achieves an exceptionally high level of the down's natural temperature and humidity regulating properties, along with notably little of the characteristic odor down can have. Known for the high quality of its products, NANGA makes everything from sleeping bags essential for outdoor use to cold-weather wear suitable for everyday life, and is recognized as a down jacket brand indispensable to Japanese winters.

One of the things NANGA, a maker devoted to crafting quality products, values most is sustainable manufacturing. The brand has launched the Green Down Project, working to recycle and reuse resources. In fact, NANGA has been practicing circular manufacturing that treasures limited resources long before sustainability became a global movement. Down, a lightweight and warm natural fiber, is said to be able to last over 100 years with proper care. Since its founding, NANGA has offered a lifetime warranty on its sleeping bags and paid repair services for its wear.

The Green Down Project is a recycling initiative that collects down that would otherwise be discarded, washing it and restoring its quality. Reborn as new products, the down goes through a process that takes as much time and effort as making something from scratch—if not more. Learning about this dedicated approach makes you want to take even better care of your NANGA products, and it also prompts a bit of self-reflection: are there things in your own daily life you've thrown away needlessly? It encourages you to reconsider the potential of an object before deciding it's no longer needed. Beyond recycling, NANGA also offers a thorough aftercare system, accepting requests for zipper replacements, adding more down, and cleaning feathers as products are used over time. In addition, the electricity used in its manufacturing is 100% natural energy, drawn only from solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric power. Beyond these efforts to carefully use natural materials for the long term, NANGA also works to make its manufacturing process itself sustainable.

These are products and manufacturing sites that reflect NANGA's philosophy of cherishing things for the long term and building sustainably.

HOW TO WASH

At the end of each season, you can also care for your down at home. If you've just bought your first down product and feel uneasy about washing it at season's end, rest assured—down can be washed at home, and washing it correctly will remove sweat and oil stains, restoring its fluffiness. NANGA also offers paid dry cleaning services for down jackets.

10 Things to Know About Washing Down

1. Unzip the jacket and turn it inside out to prevent damage to the fabric.

2. Roll it up and place it in a laundry net to prevent it from losing its shape.

3. A household neutral detergent is often fine to use.

4. It can often be washed using your washing machine's blanket wash (hand wash) cycle.

5. Do not spin dry—wring it out well by hand instead.

6. Dry it thoroughly in a well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight until completely dry. *If using a dryer, set it to a low temperature.

7. Once dry, pat the jacket with both hands from either side to fluff up the down and even out any clumping.

8. It's important to make sure the jacket is completely dry before storing it. Sometimes it may seem dry but isn't quite, so we recommend letting it dry in a well-ventilated place for about a week after washing before storing it.

9. We recommend storing it in a breathable material such as non-woven fabric. Storing it in the plastic bag it comes back in from the dry cleaner traps moisture and can lead to mold.

10. Always check the care label.

▷See the full list of NANGA products here