How to make a kimono aloha shirt
The beautiful kimonos that have served us so well are reborn!
All the threads that sew the kimono into its current state are unpicked, and it undergoes "araihari/toki-arai" (washing and stretching/unpicking and washing) to return it to its "tanmono" (fabric roll) state, as shown in the photo.
Since it's not a new item, there may be some stains that cannot be completely removed.
In this article, we'll show you the entire process of how a kimono is transformed into an aloha shirt.
For those who think, "It looks too difficult to make myself..." — we also offer finished, one-of-a-kind products tailored by artisans.
- Arai hari / Toki arai (Washing and stretching / Unpicking and washing)
First, all the seams of the original kimono are unpicked, returning it to individual parts such as the body and sleeves.
Then, each piece is hand-washed in water (or hot water) using special detergents.
After this, a process called "yunoshi" (steaming and stretching) is performed to give the fabric its firmness.
Kimono completely unpicked
- Cutting and pattern matching
After the "araihari" process, the kimono fabric is cut according to patterns.
Particular attention is paid to "pattern matching" at this stage.
Especially when remaking an "eba-moyou" (picture pattern) kimono, we carefully match the patterns during cutting to ensure they connect as seamlessly as possible when worn as an aloha shirt.
- Sewing
After the "cutting and pattern matching" process, the fabric is finally sewn together.
Each garment is carefully sewn, not as part of an assembly line.
Interfacing is added to the collar and facing parts to provide crispness before sewing them together.
For pockets and other seams, patterns are matched as closely as possible during sewing. (Some products intentionally feature different patterns.)
The back and facing parts are also carefully sewn.
The finished product is shown below ↓
HANDMADE IN TSURUOKA
The same pattern can never be created twice.
From washing and stretching to pattern matching and sewing, all these processes are done by hand.
You can view our collection of ready-made, one-of-a-kind items here.
Wear, don't make.
Since each item is one-of-a-kind, you'll only find a pattern you love at that specific moment.
If you have a cherished kimono, we also offer custom orders.
How the kimono aloha shirt was made.
After the kimono is unravelled, it undergoes a washing and stretching process before being returned to the fabric once more. From there, the kimono is pattern matched, cut and sewn.
