Samurai Jeans S211AX “Ai-Benkei” 18oz Natural Indigo Relax Tapered Jeans

[available exclusively outside of Japan]

This limited edition from Samurai is available exclusively outside of Japan. It is crafted using the new 18oz “AI+” denim woven by hefty#5 yarn in high tension using antique looms. This warp of denim is dyed with original dyestuffs mixing natural indigo and pure indigo. However, the most exciting thing about these jeans lies in the weft. It has been woven using a blend of the ultra-high-quality Samurai property Japanese cotton (called Samurai cotton project) and US cotton.

The Samurai Cotton project is the own obsession of Nogami-San, the Samurai Jeans owner, to produce jeans with Japanese cotton. But what makes this Japanese cotton so unique? Well, it is plucked piece by piece carefully, and the team works around the typhoons and heavy rains that hit the Sasayama (Hyogo prefecture) area each fall. The plants are planted, weeded, and harvested by hand, refusing to use fertilizers or pesticides of any type. All work is done by a group of Samurai employees, a few dedicated customers, and a handful of friendly Sasayama locals. For this reason, producing jeans made of Samurai cotton is super expensive and time-consuming, but the result is an extremely soft and high-quality cotton.

These jeans are full of details, such as the exclusive AI+ pocket lining or the iron made pine button. In addition, Samurai has created a special edition heavyweight cowhide leather patch that has been hand-dyed with pure indigo.

The cut is the S211AX, a relaxed tapered fit only available outside Japan. The taper is aggressive so that it gives a slim-fitting silhouette while allowing for a lot of space at the thighs with a mid-high rise.

Samurai jeans have become a legend in the Japanese denim scene. Created in Osaka by Toru Nogami in 1997, Samurai represents the perfection of Japanese tradition, with its iconography of Sengoku-era Samurais and the search for the best and nothing but the best through materials, artisan garment-making techniques and unique detailing.

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