The Jeans Innovation Center, JIC for short, came to life in 2016. A facility for jeans research and development, this is the birthplace of UNIQLO denim, where it continues to evolve, and where future techniques for processing and production are conceived. A place where prototypes are fashioned daily, this lab allows for every step to be explored, from patterns and cutting to finishing washes. Thus far, the lab’s greatest achievement is something called “Blue Cycle” technology that cuts the water needed to distress jeans by as much as 99% (based on a comparison of our men’s regular fit jeans from 2017 and the updated item released in 2018. Varies by product). Recently, we had a visit from a group of local kids, dressed up in denim outfits. These four friends were astounded by the enormous washing machines in the middle of the center, each one almost as big as them. For starters, they spent a minute with Thomas, the nice man who cuts patterns in the sewing room. “Is this the part that turns into the pocket?” Issa asks him, full of curiosity. Feasting their eyes on the different patterns and the wall stuffed with sample fabrics, they soon headed over to the Blue Cycle area.

Cut & Sew

Starched denim cloth is piled ten sheets thick and marked up with a pattern, then cut to size using a specialized machine that works like a reciprocating saw. “There’s the pocket!” says Surya, in the striped shirt.

Laser Processing

Intense processes like laser tearing release flames and sparks. It’s a clean process, since any scraps are incinerated on the spot, while the smoke is sucked downward.

Next up, the kids visited the washing machines up close to see another feature of Blue Cycle Jeans. Darwin, the engineering manager, opens the door. Strong mist comes spraying out, but there’s hardly any water inside. “What’s that mist doing?” asks Sylvie. Washing jeans involves a number of steps. First, the starch is released, turning what we call “raw denim” into washed fabric. After that, the jeans are washed repeatedly to give them a realistic faded look and the stress lines called “atari.” Doing so ordinarily requires huge amounts of water. What has revolutionized this process is a mist-washing technique called “nano bubble washing.” Instead of being dunked in water, the jeans are sprayed with small amounts of vapor at high pressure, in a high-efficiency wash. As a finishing touch, the fabric is distressed via “ozone washing.” This involves using ozone gas to oxidize the dye that’s in the denim, for a strong and natural bleached effect.

Nano Bubble Washing

Check out the mist coming from this door. Ejected at high pressure, it pulls colour from the denim.

Ozone Washing

Ozone is used to bleach jeans in this tumble washer.

That said, small amounts of water are still used. Taking responsibility, JIC has also developed a specialized water recycling system. In the new process, the power of ozone and minerals is harnessed to remove the dyes and chemicals from the blue water left over after washing, so that the water can be filtered and restored to clarity.

The techniques of the future are helping us to create authentic-looking distressed jeans you’ll want to wear forever. Our hope is that these four kids will want to keep on wearing LifeWear jeans once they’ve grown into fine adults. This hope is what sustains our continued research at the JIC.

Sample pairs exemplify each step. From left to right: raw denim; a pair after laser processing only; two pairs after different nano bubble washes; and a pair processed using ozone washing.

• Photography by Kohei Kawashima
• Styling by Mitsuru Kurosawa
• Hair & Makeup by Anna Kato
• Coordination by Megumi Yamano
• Special thanks to Naoyasu Mera, Aya Mutoh