2025.01.22
Diving Deep into the Domestic Denim Pioneer "BIG JOHN" & Exploring the Roots of Japanese Denim
As a pioneer of domestic denim pants and a brand that has made 'Okayama Denim' known both nationally and internationally, BIG JOHN offers a deep historical insight into the origin of Japanese denim pants. This time, let’s hear from Hiroki Matsuda, who is involved in various tasks including public relations at BIG JOHN, about the birth of domestic denim pants.
Transitioning from Workwear & School Uniforms to Focus on Jeans
“The founder, Kotaro Osaki, began his business in 1940 as a sewing company for tabi (traditional Japanese socks) and workwear in Kojima, Okayama, called Maruo Hifuku. Later, the main focus shifted to manufacturing school uniforms, which became a staple industry in Kojima as a whole."The fabric for school uniforms was predominantly made using a type of thread called 'Vinylon,' but by the late 1950s, a new strong and flexible thread called 'Tetoron' was developed. However, at that time, very few factories had access to this material, and Maruo Hifuku was unable to source Tetoron, forcing them to scale back school uniform production.
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