Mcross

10/08/2020

Five-One
Fabric Innovator

Cooperating with factories in various regions (and with various manufacturing associations), Five One has developed and introduced new materials in the form of designer brands (shown at the Paris Collection) as well as premium and youth apparel lines. Depending on the requirements of the market, Five-One selects a specific producer and method, sometimes utilizing several producers on a single project, always with the goal of achieving the greatest quality at the target cost. Cooperating factories include: Ibaraki Prefecture Embroidery operations, Niigata Prefecture Hand Print operations, and Fukui Prefecture Silk Dyeing operations.

10/08/2020

Yamakatsu Senko
Dying Factory
Kuromontsuki – Perfecting the Balance of Black and White

Yamakatsu Senko is a traditional dyer of white crest designs on deep black cloth – known as kuromontsuki – for silk kimono, as well as other apparel and cloth accoutrements. These particular white and black dyes have been essential to ceremonial garb in Japan since the early Edo period, hence well-known in Japanese life until very recently. However, Yamakatsu is today one of just a few cultural repositories where this and other rare Japanese dyecraft traditions are still practiced. As it applies these venerable techniques, colors and patterns to both original and new materials, apparel types and fashions, Yamakatsu is also educating designers, artists and enthusiasts in the methods of this precious heritage.

10/01/2020

Tsubame Towel
Towel Manufacturer

Tsubame Towel is based in Osaka, one of the traditional towel production centers of Japan. Today Tsubame is on the forefront of organic and sustainable terry cloth production, with organic cotton farms in India and advanced solar-powered production facilities in Japan. Its development of the MCU-5 strain of organic cotton, which produces a significantly longer fiber than other organic cotton, is one of the secrets to its especially soft yet durable premium towels, which include such distinctive brands as Credea, Soufflair and Coral Soft.

https://sourcinginjapan.mcrossintl.com/towels-terry-cloth/tsubame-towel/

10/01/2020

TOLQ engages in the “crafting of experimental products born from the sense of awe that one feels looking upon everyday items from new perspectives.” As these words suggest, TOLQ works with avante-garde designers and fashion artists to discover new potential in tradition and heritage, and bring to life the beauty of things past – motifs, textures, styles – in new forms.

https://sourcinginjapan.mcrossintl.com/specialty-materials/tolq/

10/01/2020

Question: What do these products have in common?
Answer: Toyoshima Mufan!

The Sparkle of Silver – Proof in Functionality

Mufan® is a high-function fiber that uses a process incorporating pure silver into layers of polyester film to eliminate the darkening caused by acids and chlorides, while at the same time lending the fabric anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-odorizing effects. All of these are natural functions of silver that are both safe for humans and environmentally sustainable.

Features of Mufan®

• Created with pure silver, a metal that is safe for both nature and people
• Engineered with a unique composition that continuously releases silver ions
• With proven anti-bacteria, anti-fungal and anti-odorizing functions
• Repeated washing does not reduce the anti-microbial effects of Mufan®.

https://sourcinginjapan.mcrossintl.com/antimicrobial-materials/toyoshima-mufan/

09/30/2020

Kyoto Kawabata Shoten
Dying Factory

Kyoto Manyo Dyeing is a process which utilizes the same natural plant and insect pigments found in traditional Japanese dyecraft and elsewhere in the world since ancient times. ‘Manyo’ means ‘ten thousand leaves,’ implying all the colors and sentiments of life, and is the name of Japan’s oldest and most beloved collection of poetry. Kyoto is the cultural center of artisanal Japanese dyeworks, and the home of Kawabata Shoten, the developer of this highly simplified dyeing method. Easily completed in a short time, and requiring no special equipment, the Kyoto Manyo dye process allows anyone to safely dye natural (non-synthetic) cloth or yarns with the bountiful colors of the living world.

https://sourcinginjapan.mcrossintl.com/dye-dyeing/kyoto-kawabata-shoten/

For thousands of years the Japanese have been eager participants in the development and advancement of textile products and technology. Whether building on indigenous weaving and dye craft with sericulture, spinning and weaving practices borrowed from its Asian neighbors, acquiring new pigments and....

09/30/2020

Wonder Shape® is a 4-way stretch material that brings a new level of comfort to a wide selection of fabrics and apparel, ranging from business casual and children’s clothes to jeans and active wear. Wonder Shape® demonstrates 80% elongation in both vertical/horizontal directions, with excellent recovery and stability, giving it a huge comfort advantage in slacks and trouser design. By offering 360° stretchability in so many styles of material, Wonder Shape® brings a new dimension to apparel design for all walks of life.

https://sourcinginjapan.mcrossintl.com/sustainability/toyoshima-wonder-shape/

09/30/2020

Maruhachi Tent Co., Ltd.
Fabric Manufacturer

Maruhachi Tent Brings Nishijin Brand Goods to the World!

The history of Nishijinori (Nishijin weaving) reaches into Japan’s very distant past, to the fifth or sixth century AD, when sericulture and the craft of silk weaving were first brought to Japan from abroad. Centuries later, in Japan’s medieval times, the products of a certain group of Kyoto silk weavers came to be known as Nishijinori. This type of weaving involved special handling of the warp and weft threads to create intricate raised textures on the fabric, allowing the natural softness and shine of the silk to appear in ornate and colorful relief. Because of the many stages and labors involved in this process various artisans were needed, and over time their skills gave birth to new and distinctive products and merchandise.

Today, the craft of Nishijinori continues to inspire innovation in both traditional and high-tech goods and materials.

https://sourcinginjapan.mcrossintl.com/specialty-materials/maruhachi-tent-shoten/

For thousands of years the Japanese have been eager participants in the development and advancement of textile products and technology. Whether building on indigenous weaving and dye craft with sericulture, spinning and weaving practices borrowed from its Asian neighbors, acquiring new pigments and....

09/29/2020

Repur P processing is a highly-effective bacterial control and deodorizing treatment that is added to medical and other types of clothing for anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal protection. This treatment prevents the build-up, and reduces the count, of such common bacteria as E. coli, certain pneumonia bacillus, and MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), as well as many odor causing microbes. It is also effective against raw dry odor. With the potential to provide even greater protection than competing anti-bacterial processes, Repur P bacterial control treatment is recommended for treating medical white clothing such as lab coats, scrubs and masks. This treatment will also control the spread of certain viruses.

https://sourcinginjapan.mcrossintl.com/antimicrobial-materials/toyoshima-repur/

09/29/2020

Asano Nenshi Co., LTD
Yarn & Garment Manufacturer

KBy modifying its mission from being “Number One” to being “The Only One,” Asano Nenshi has established itself as a model of excellence and sustainability in the global towel industry. The company’s organic cotton Air Kaoru brand, made with proprietary double reverse twisted yarn technology, is a beloved best-seller in Japan. Today “Asanen,” as the company name is commonly abbreviated, is building a state-of-the-art spinning factory and mill in Fukushima, Japan, slated to open in 2022.

Asano Nenshi towels – proudly Made in Japan

https://sourcinginjapan.mcrossintl.com/towels-terry-cloth/asano-nenshi-co-ltd/

09/29/2020

Uchiyama Knit has been manufacturing sweaters, mufflers and hats for leading Japanese apparel brands for nearly sixty years, and continues to sell its goods through leading specialty stores. Today Uchiyama Knit is positioned to provide custom designed knitted office wear, school uniforms, team sweaters, and men’s, women’s, children’s and baby’s apparel in the classic patterns, yarns and styles of the knitwear tradition.

https://sourcinginjapan.mcrossintl.com/traditional-fabrics/uchiyama-knit/

09/28/2020

Toban Textile
Fabric Manufacturer

Toban Textile is an ultra-modern, vertically-integrated, leading Japanese textile manufacturer, as well as the torchbearer of Japan’s world-famous, dyed cotton yarn – banshu-ori – weaving legacy. Equipped with the world’s most advanced equipment and technology, Toban emphasizes a commitment to excellence at each of the four stages of its textile manufacturing process – Dyeing, Sizing, Weaving and Finishing – and spares no effort to insure the quality of its products. From color matching and thread selection to full line production, Toban performs all work at its factory in Nishiwaki, Japan, where it looks forward to meeting the needs of clients from around the globe.

https://sourcinginjapan.mcrossintl.com/traditional-fabrics/toban-textile/

For thousands of years the Japanese have been eager participants in the development and advancement of textile products and technology. Whether building on indigenous weaving and dye craft with sericulture, spinning and weaving practices borrowed from its Asian neighbors, acquiring new pigments and....