Pure Blue Japan (PBJ) was founded in 1997 by Ken‑ichi Iwaya in Kurashiki, Okayama (a historic Japanese denim hub) and is run under the Syoaiya Inc.
The brand is entirely Japan-based in all of its production: dyeing, weaving, sewing, and finishing. Their signature Indigofera leaf logo and deep indigo selvedge thread celebrate traditional natural indigo dyeing and Japanese craftsmanship.
“Our company name “Syoaiya” and our brand name “Pure Blue Japan” both reflect our profound affection for natural indigo and it’s beautiful blue color. All our products are entirely domestically produced in Japan. We are on a continuous mission to challenge the new expression of indigo by utilizing the delicate and outstanding technology of Japanese craftsmanship for all processes, including dyeing, weaving, sewing and distressing.”
“Our manufacturing begins with “yarn dyeing” which means the thread (or yarn) is dyed first, prior to weaving. We specifically employ the method called Rope Dying to create our original fabric.
We carefully select the shape of the yarn and the quality of the cotton, and use various shades of originally blended indigo. Upon dyeing, we also take into consideration how the item will change over the years of usage. Additionally, we manage to generate special texture and original charm to the fabric by using weaving machines and knitting machines especially customized for our company.
We particularly take pride in the original slubby texture of our Selvedge Denim, which is an accomplishment of many trial and errors to achieve this impossible goal.
The changes you will see after long-time use of the garment will be a reflection of your lifestyle. We hope that you will enjoy the feel of this delicate and high quality product of Japanese origin.”
PBJ also includes women’s and kids’ clothing in their collections. You can check them out here.
Pure Blue Japan clothing is available to shop for on their website, stores globally (Harajuku flagship), denim specialty shops like Blue in Green (NYC), Frank & Poe, and SelfEdge among others.
