To kick off their 20th anniversary, 3sixteen has made new denim custom woven by Nihon Menpu. Last year as they were looking through new yarns and indigo dye treatments, they came across some swatches utilizing cotton from Burkina Faso, one of Africa's largest cotton producers.
What struck 3sixteen about this Burkina Faso cotton is the character in the weave; the cotton takes the indigo with slight inconsistency, and the neppiness of the yarns yields a slightly rough weave that gives the appearance of both vertical and horizontal streaking, an effect that we anticipate will show more clearly as the denim is worn in. The fabric comes in at a hair over 13.4oz when raw, but the brand is giving the finished garments a light rinse and tumble dry to bring out the blues further and give the garments a broken-in feel from day one. In addition, the yarns do not utilize any bleach when the raw cotton is scoured in order to reduce chemical usage and CO2 output.
This 13.4oz fabric is woven with all organic cotton, spun in a unique process that creates uneven twisted yarns, and then dipped in natural indigo from India, twice the amount of times of traditional rope dyeing methods. The yarns are also dyed in a new eco-dyeing process that reduces impact.
The 3sixteen Type 3s denim jacket pays homage to the classic Type III with a longer body, welt pockets, and an eye-catching cross back yoke that you don't get from anyone other than 3s.
Founded in LA by Johan Lam and Andrew Chen over a decade ago, 3sixteen's philosophy is evident in pieces they've developed since 2008: shirts, jackets, basics and accessories all take cues in form and function from their jeans. Fabrics and trims are always chosen for their capacity to develop character with time. 3sixteen aim is that, with diligent wear, the customers are rewarded with something well-aged, never "old."
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