Craftsmanship Meets the Outdoors: H.A.K.U MOUNTAIN SUPPLY Creates Unique Outdoor Apparel

Hailing from Okayama Prefecture, one of Japan's premier denim regions, H.A.K.U MOUNTAIN SUPPLY (hereafter H.A.K.U) is an outdoor apparel brand that brings time-honored craftsmanship to the great outdoors.

The brand offers a range of items featuring garment dyeing and indigo dyeing, a rarity in outdoor apparel. This unique approach is deeply rooted in Okayama's local identity and manufacturing heritage. We had the pleasure of speaking with Keita Kimura from Takaya Shoji Co., Ltd., the designer behind H.A.K.U.

A Fusion of a Jean Factory Environment and a Passion for the Outdoors

First, we asked about the brand's origins and some background information.

"This brand's parent company is a jean factory in Ibara City, Okayama. It didn't start as an outdoor brand; the initial concept was to launch an original brand centered around classic five-pocket jeans. I believe this was around 2014. At first, we operated simply as 'H.A.K.U,' without the 'MOUNTAIN SUPPLY' part of the name.

As the business evolved, we wanted to create something more distinctive, leveraging the reliable quality and craftsmanship—from production to finishing—that we've honed as a jean factory. This led us to pivot toward making outdoor apparel for my personal hobbies like camping, fishing, and trail running. Finally, in 2019, we rebranded as 'H.A.K.U MOUNTAIN SUPPLY' and relaunched with our current focus."

CHILLOUT STRAIGHT: Jeans Packed with H.A.K.U's Unique Character

Now that we have some background on the brand, let's dive deeper by taking a look at one of H.A.K.U's signature items.

"The core of our brand is, naturally, our jeans. Drawing on our long history of jean making, they remain the item we pour the most effort into. A prime example packed with H.A.K.U's signature style is the 'CHILLOUT STRAIGHT.' These jeans incorporate details from climbing pants, featuring a webbing belt at the waist.

The design concept is all about being 'hands-free,' so we've included our high-capacity 'HANDSFREE POCKET.' Just as the name implies, it's a pocket designed to let you move with both hands free. Inside the large pocket, we've even added a dedicated smartphone divider to prevent items from moving around.

A functional 'daisy chain' can be used as a hammer loop or for hanging a towel. On the front, there's a 'carabiner loop' for attaching items as you see fit. The black fabric panels on the double-knee and hip areas are made from flame-retardant, highly durable Kevlar. This makes them safe to wear around a campfire and gives them the robustness ideal for outdoor activities."

A Lifetime Warranty Service: A Rarity in Apparel

Having seen the brand's core concept and signature items, we wanted to dig deeper into the details that set them apart.

"As a brand, our goal is to create items that are stylish enough for daily life but also tough enough to be used for a long time without losing their shape. We place special importance on indigo dyeing, cherishing the unique character that develops over time through wear, such as scuffs, fading, sun-faded tones from oxidation, and the distinctive crease marks known as 'atari'.

You don't often see indigo used in outdoor wear, but we believe that by fusing craftsmanship with outdoor apparel, we can combine the best of both worlds and broaden the appeal for everyone.

Driven by our wish for customers to use our products for a very long time, we leverage our position as a factory to offer a lifetime warranty. If an item tears, we'll stitch it back up. If a feature's performance declines, we'll re-treat it. We are committed to making products that can be your long-term companions. At the customer's request, we will do our utmost to repair any item, regardless of how heavily used it is, so it can continue to be valued and worn."

The Garment-Dyed MOUNTAIN PARKA

The brand leverages the techniques of its own dyeing factory to create more than just jeans and indigo products. Let's take a closer look at one of the standout items from their collection.

"For outerwear, I'd like to introduce the 'MOUNTAIN PARKA.' This item is made from garment-dyed nylon, which creates a unique look with 'puckering'—fine wrinkles along the seams and stitches—and wear marks known as 'atari.' Furthermore, the dyed fabric is treated with a water-repellent finish, making it a functional windbreaker and a user-friendly material for the outdoors.

The design is inspired by a fishing jacket, featuring a spec to hook a fishing rod and a partial microfleece lining inside the pockets to prevent sunglasses or glasses from getting scratched. A lot of people wear sunglasses when they're outdoors, right? This microfleece is also used in the inner pockets, so it can double as a cloth for cleaning glasses or smartphone screens.

This feature is incredibly handy, as lenses can get smudged after handling fish. There's a single front button on the chest, allowing you to fasten the front without using the zipper. This detail lets air circulate, making it comfortable to wear."

The 'GUNJO' Line: Where Manufacturing is All Done In-House

H.A.K.U. is based at its own factory in Ihara City, Okayama Prefecture. It's here that they've created the 'GUNJO' line, where the entire manufacturing process is handled in-house. The concept alone shows their dedication, and the resulting items are truly one-of-a-kind.

"We created an indigo-dyed tent called the 'GUNJO TARP' and the 'GUNJO SHELTER.' The fabric uses indigo-dyed cotton for the warp and nylon for the weft. It's given a vintage treatment and finished with a durable water-repellent coating.

This hybrid fabric, developed specifically for the tent, is designed so you can enjoy its aging process, including color fading from friction and sun-fading from sunlight. There are very few tarps or tents that age like this. This tent, in particular, is an item we feel very strongly about. It took four to five years of remaking samples and a lot of trial and error before we finally reached a product we were satisfied with and could release this season.

Because the fabric is so large, sewing it with jeans-making machines and applying treatments was a huge challenge. But we wanted to leverage our well-equipped sewing and dyeing environment to try something other than clothing, and this was the first piece of gear we created. We plan to continue developing and proposing unique products that only H.A.K.U. can create."

H.A.K.U.'s items are available for purchase at their official online store, as well as at outdoor shops and pop-ups at outdoor events. They plan to expand their presence into select shops in the future. H.A.K.U. is a truly unique outdoor brand, a fusion of Kimura's extensive outdoor expertise and years of accumulated sewing and processing techniques. Once you get your hands on one of their items, be sure to take advantage of the lifetime warranty service and enjoy it for years to come.