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Defying the Common Sense of Rainwear! Workman's "XShelter Ultra-Breathable Moisture-Release Jacket"
Workman unveiled their independently-developed new material, XShelter, in 2024. The material, which boasts a revolutionary function that "neutralizes external environments," has been making waves for upending everything we thought we knew about clothing. As a result, the 2024 autumn/winter products featuring this fabric quickly sold out.
Now, Workman products equipped with "XShelter" are set to hit stores for spring/summer 2025. For this article, Koji Yamada, the official ambassador for Workman, interviewed Nobuhito Nakano, Head of Product Development Division 1 at Workman Co., Ltd., about one such item: the "XShelter Ultra-Breathable Moisture-Release Jacket".
The Evolution of Workman’s Rainwear
Koji Yamada (hereinafter, Yamada)For spring/summer 2025, "XShelter" is being offered in two series: "XShelter Ultra-Breathable Moisture-Release" and "Heat Resistance." The "XShelter Ultra-Breathable Moisture-Release" line is not only waterproof but also boasts a high level of breathability and the ability to efficiently manage moisture. In short, these are truly next-generation rainwear.
First, could you tell us about the history of Workman’s rainwear up to the birth of "XShelter"?
Nobuhito Nakano (hereinafter, Nakano)In the past, the rainwear Workman carried was mostly basic "kappa" (traditional rain jacket), designed simply to shield the wearer from rain and dirt. Most of them were made of vinyl—even the higher-priced items just had mesh fabric on the lining.
Obviously, people wear rainwear when it's raining, right? But the combination of high humidity from the rain and strenuous labor at worksites meant sweat would accumulate under those vinyl kappas. The clothes worn underneath would end up soaked.
Back then, we often received feedback from customers saying that water was leaking inside their kappas. But as it turned out, in most cases, it wasn't rainwater at all—it was the customer’s own sweat.
YamadaWhat prompted Workman to focus on breathability?
NakanoWhen we launched Workman Plus, we began attracting more customers beyond just traditional workers, including those taking part in all sorts of outdoor activities. That’s when breathability, which is highly valued in the outdoor apparel world, came sharply into focus for us.
In winter, with sweat soaking your body, you run the risk of hypothermia—so breathability is important in both outdoor and work environments. Of course, if we priced our gear at the same level as typical outdoor brands, they’d be out of reach for most work settings. So, we set out to offer this functionality at Workman’s unique affordable price point.
YamadaIn the world of waterproof and breathable materials, GORE-TEX has become the gold standard. Around that time, were there any other such materials being used by other companies?
NakanoBack then, aside from GORE-TEX, the other well-known option was Toray's Entrant fabric. Now, there are tons of companies—including outdoor brands—pushing their own proprietary waterproof and breathable materials. It really is a whole new era in this space.
A New Concept Material that Mixes “Breathability” & “Moisture Release”
YamadaIn a previous article where autumn/winter products were covered, you described "XShelter" from the perspective of insulation. How would you describe the image of "XShelter" for spring/summer gear?
Nakano"XShelter" was inspired by the insulation materials used in houses. The concept is to "protect the wearer from external environments." No matter if it's rainy, windy, hot, or cold—when you're inside your house, you're comfortable. Our goal is to bring that same comfort to clothing.
With the "XShelter Ultra-Breathable Moisture-Release" line, we set out to block out rain, while also managing humidity. The "XShelter Ultra-Breathable Moisture-Release Jacket" achieves an incredibly high level of breathability—70,000g/m2/24h.
YamadaA breathability rating of 70,000g/m2/24h is something even high-end outdoor gear rarely achieves. What kind of technology made this possible?
NakanoWe achieved this by combining two features: "moisture permeability" and "moisture release." To explain briefly, moisture permeability refers to air passing directly through holes in the film for breathability, while moisture release means the film absorbs humidity and then allows it to evaporate.
As far as I know, including other companies, no materials have ever used such a mechanism before. On top of that, rainwear obviously needs to be waterproof. Balancing these was quite challenging.
YamadaSpecifically, what kind of effect does a breathability rating of 70,000g/m²/24h have?
NakanoTo put it simply, it's a figure high enough that even if you sweat 3 liters in an hour, it won't be a problem. Though, this number itself is probably a bit hard to imagine (laughs). Also, "XShelter" is developed in collaboration with the Disaster Management Research Insitute of the Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing, and we receive direct feedback from actual users during disasters.
It's not "we make the gear and that's it"—we'll continue to improve it to help create safer environments for people working on the front lines where lives are at risk.
YamadaPlease tell us about the specific features of the products.
NakanoThe 2025 Spring/Summer "XShelter Ultra-Breathable Moisture-Release Jacket" comes in two models. This one is the Ocean Model, which includes features convenient for fishing.
NakanoThere’s a large pocket on the back to store various gear, as well as a D-ring for attaching a net, and reflective materials.
NakanoThe cuffs use a slim hook-and-loop fastener, so fishing lines are less likely to catch on them.
NakanoThe jacket features articulated sleeves, making it easier to raise and lower your arms. The design is so unique and twisted that you can't lay it perfectly flat (laughs).
NakanoDepending on the area, we use either two-layer or three-layer fabric. The two-layer fabric on the back, underarms, and side panels offers a breathability of 70,000g/m²/24h and a water resistance of 10,000mm. The three-layer fabric, used on the hood, shoulders, front body, and upper sleeves, has a comfortable tricot lining, a breathability of 50,000g/m²/24h, and a water resistance of 20,000mm.
NakanoThis is the Trek model, intended for outdoor activities like mountain climbing.
NakanoThe most notable feature is the large ventilation openings under the arms.
NakanoThere's also a snap button below the front zipper, so you can secure the front even with the zipper open.
NakanoFor both the Ocean and Trek models, the hood can be easily adjusted for fit with a dial, and the zipper pull doubles as a whistle for emergencies.
YamadaThe attention to detail and special features are impressive, but are these products sewn at the same factories as typical Workman workwear?
NakanoBecause there are so many complex processes, we work with factories that specialize in outdoor wear. The manufacturing costs are higher, but these factories have special skills that others don't.
For example, at the hem and cuffs, overlapping fabric makes movement difficult and can create uncomfortable points, so instead of sewing, we use bonding to finish these areas.
YamadaDoesn’t bonding come apart over time?
NakanoWe have third-party organizations run tests, and even after repeated washing exceeding our in-house standards, the seams hold up.
YamadaEven with such a high spec of 70,000g/m²/24h, what are your goals for the "Ultra-Breathable Moisture-Release" series going forward?
NakanoIt's definitely high spec, but if you think about it, just wearing a T-shirt is easier than putting on a shell like this. So, I want to make clothing that's even lighter and thinner moving forward.
YamadaPersonally, I'd love to see socks made with this highly waterproof and breathable fabric. No matter what shoes you’re wearing—sandals, sneakers—if you have these socks on, your feet would never get wet or sweaty. That’s the kind of sock I want.
NakanoI hadn’t thought about making socks with "XShelter," but that’s an interesting idea. Let's look into it.
PROFILE
Nobuhito Nakano
Head of Product Development Division 1, WORKMAN Co., Ltd.
PROFILE
Koji Yamada
Fashion Analyst / Official Workman Ambassador
Active as a freelancer, mainly through "Yamada Koji's Fashion Blog." Author of "結局、男の服は普通がいい 世界一かんたん、一生使えるオシャレの方程式" (KADOKAWA Publishing).
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