A "Hinomoto Aloha" shirt made by Ningyo no Wataya in Moka, Tochigi Prefecture. Rather than remaking an old kimono, it is tailored from a new bolt of kimono cloth, turning kimono imagery into an aloha shirt you can wear every day or on your travels. It washes in a household machine and is easy to care for.
The pattern is clouds and flowers. Navy cloud shapes spread across a cream ground, with fine markings that surface like shibori tie-dye. Between the clouds, small blossoms in red, orange, yellow, white and blue are scattered alongside yellow and orange autumn leaves, with slender branches and foliage linking them together. The navy stands out against the bright ground for a light, festive impression.
The material is a polyester bolt of the kind used for fine kimono. Compare it with silk by touch and you will barely notice a difference against the skin. It stands up to water, resists wrinkling and is highly durable. Because the cloth is new, there is none of the fading or staining found in old kimono.
Unisex, with a relaxed cut. Size XL, fitting a chest of 103–110 cm.
Sewing is done by hand by artisans within Tochigi Prefecture. From cutting the cloth to the finishing touches there are ten separate steps, and an artisan can complete only one shirt a day. The buttons are made of lustrous domestic bamboo.
For city strolls, sightseeing and resort days. It pairs easily with trousers or shorts, and works just as well as everyday wear. Do experience an artisan-made, high-quality kimono aloha shirt for yourself.
The Hinomoto Aloha is not an old kimono remade. We source new bolts of cloth and, in repeated consultation with our sewing artisans, make each shirt by hand from cutting to stitching. Even a seasoned hand can finish only one shirt in a day. What follows is an account, in order, from the choosing of the cloth to the final pressing.
Bolts of cloth have long been woven in a wide range of materials and widths, suited to the climate and customs of Japan. We seek out and acquire new bolts of this kind, and make them into aloha shirts. The polyester bolts we use — a cloth found in fine kimono as well — resist water, seldom crease, and can be washed at home with ease. Nor is there any fear of the fading or staining that comes with an old kimono.
The first step is the cutting of the cloth. The front panels, the back panel, the sleeves, the collar — each is cut away in turn. From a single bolt, only two shirts can be made. Cutting allows no error; of all the stages of sewing it is the most laborious, and the one that demands the greatest care.
The sewing comprises ten stages: pocket, yoke, brand label, sleeves, side seams, collar setting, hem, buttonholes. Of these, setting the collar is the most exacting; a single shirt takes a full day to complete. For buttons we use domestic bamboo rather than the coconut customary to aloha shirts. It has a quiet lustre, and sits well with the cloth.
Other pieces from the same hands.
This item can be washed with water at home. Please place it in a laundry net before washing. To preserve its texture for years to come, we recommend dry cleaning.
