The fabric is knitted slowly and carefully in the air on a century-old "hanging knitting machine," still in operation in Wakayama Prefecture. Its main characteristic is its exquisite tension and enveloping comfort.
"Our Drop-Loop Wheel Knitting Method" We use a traditional drop-loop wheel knitting system: the fabric is suspended in the air and knitted using its own weight as a counterweight. This method only knits one meter of fabric per hour, but produces a very fine, high-quality knit. Due to low production capacity, only a few hundred of these machines are in use today. This method, although meticulous, is essential to creating unique textile expressions for our signature BARNS knits.
BARNS uses an irregular yarn made from rice cotton. To maintain a dry and cool texture, we chose an irregular yarn with a higher loft than ordinary yarns. This yarn helps maintain a dry and airy texture.
The softness and rough texture are achieved by slowly knitting the fabric, allowing the yarn to contain air. The bound collar is sewn between the body and the collar ribs, a process also found on vintage garments. This innovation ensures elasticity and durability, for long-lasting use. A hanging knitting machine knits the fabric in a tubular shape. The fabric is therefore made without side seams, called "Marudo," and is used as is. Because the body is tubular, it is difficult to adjust the size. This is why the angle and width of the sleeves were designed.
