Piles of nearly 40,000 pairs of old Levi's jeans line the warehouse of Yamasawa Press, an apparel quality inspector tucked away in a residential corner of Adachi Ward, Tokyo.
Rife with raggedy holes and dirt, the timeworn denim might seem hard-pressed to pass a quality check.
But these jeans, all Levi's 501s, are not bound for the landfill. Instead, they will be refashioned into upcycled garments and accessories, as part of an initiative launched by the company to give new life to iconic old jeans.
Since its founding in 1995, Yamasawa Press has specialized in the inspection of finished fashions before they hit consumer racks, as well as the ironing and repair of garments on contract with apparel manufacturers.
But a trip to the United States by its president, Ryoji Yamasawa, now 46, would lead the company to set up a new leg in the denim remodeling business.
When scouting out a wholesale vintage market in Los Angeles in June 2018, Yamasawa came across a treasure trove of jeans consigned to the scrap pile. He instinctively saw an opportunity, and purchased the lot.
"I knew there had to be some way to recycle them and make use of the techniques we've cultivated through our main business over the years," Yamasawa said.
Together with the cooperation of acquaintances in the apparel industry, he launched the jeans upcycling project.
The first step is deep-cleaning. The jeans are soaked in a warm detergent bath, then hand-washed and brushed to remove any dirt.
After drying, jeans that can still be worn have their holes patched and undergo other repairs. And jeans that are beyond salvation are spliced and tailored into fresh new pairs. Even the leftover scraps are reused to make caps, belts, bags, and other accessories.
Product design is overseen by Takuya Kawahara, 58, who also runs a clothing boutique of his own. "I focus on creating designs that appeal to everyone," he said. "Not just people in my generation who grew up wearing 501s, but younger people, too."
Last year, Yamasawa Press opened a shop inside its Adachi factory, where visitors can purchase some of these remade denim creations. In addition to jeans, their inventory also includes a variety of jackets and dresses made from a patchwork combination of fabrics culled from multiple pairs of denim.
Saved from the landfill and given a fresh new look, the project ensures that the iconic American blue jean will continue to turn heads halfway around the world on the streets of Tokyo.
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