When cloth and clothing were difficult to replace, mending was a necessity rather than a matter of taste.

The small repairs that look endearing today belong to that history.

This cotton noragi dates to approximately the early–mid Showa era. Noragi are traditional Japanese garments associated with farming and other daily labor, rooted in life close to the land.

Large ecru kasuri motifs stand out against a dark ground. Kasuri is a Japanese resist-dyed weaving technique that gives patterns their softly blurred edges. Fine repairs overlap parts of the pattern, while careful mending also remains inside. The bold design and understated stitches give this jacket two different expressions.

We do not know who repaired this particular garment or under what circumstances. What remains is the evidence of a garment mended and kept in use rather than immediately discarded. These repairs connect it with boro, Japanese textiles patched and mended through continued use.

The point is not to romanticize poverty, but to consider the relationship with clothing that we can carry forward.

Instead of replacing clothes with every changing trend, discover the appeal of something that already exists and wear a favorite piece repeatedly. When it becomes worn, consider mending before letting it go. The repairs in this noragi make slow fashion tangible: a way of living with a particular garment, not simply an abstract ideal.

A more sustainable wardrobe need not mean setting aside what you love.

Choose it because the kasuri pattern catches your eye and the small repairs appeal to you. Wear it over a white T-shirt, or let the pattern show beneath an Oxford shirt. The pleasure of wearing it comes first; keeping an existing garment in use follows naturally.

What once had to be mended out of necessity can now be received as a choice to care for clothing. Rather than treating this old farming garment only as an artifact, combine it with clothes you already own and make it part of everyday life.

Japanese noragi and boro attract interest from vintage enthusiasts and buyers in Europe and North America. Beyond age and rarity, their appeal lies in bringing the shapes, patterns and repairs of everyday working clothes into a contemporary wardrobe.

Pattern placement, repair locations and individual stitches vary from garment to garment. Only one is available in this particular combination.

Details

• Material: Cotton outer fabric and lining.
• Estimated period: Early–mid Showa era.
• Exterior: Dark ground with large ecru kasuri motifs.
• Lining: Navy-toned fabric with a fine grid-like woven pattern around the upper back; plain indigo fabric from the waist area toward the hem.
• Construction: Miyatsuguchi, side openings beneath the sleeves, and side slits at the hem.
• Distinctive feature: Careful repairs in several areas, including the lining and around the side openings.

Measurements

• Length, back neck base to hem: approx. 73.5 cm / 28.9 in.
• Width, underarm to underarm: approx. 49 cm / 19.3 in.
• Shoulder width: approx. 49 cm / 19.3 in.
• Sleeve length, shoulder to sleeve end: approx. 27 cm / 10.6 in.
• Sleeve panel depth: approx. 28 cm / 11.0 in.
• Sleeve opening: approx. 16.5 cm / 6.5 in.

Measured flat. The underarm measurement is the garment's width, not its circumference. Please allow for slight variations.
Model height: 171 cm / approx. 5 ft 7 in.

Only the noragi jacket is included in this listing. All other clothing and accessories worn by the model are for styling purposes only and are not included.

Condition

Careful repairs are present in several areas. This garment is for those who appreciate the character of older clothing, including its mending.

Washed. As a vintage garment, it has a different texture and signs of use from new clothing. Please review all photographs and measurements before purchasing.

For questions about sizing, returns, and customs, please visit our FAQ.

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