Loop Wheel
Loop knitting
Although production efficiency is not high, it is possible to knit the ideal sweatshirt fabric.
The loop wheel knitting machines used to knit sweatshirts are extremely rare, operating only in Wakayama, even on a global scale. These machines have survived thanks to the meticulous maintenance of a handful of skilled craftsmen in Japan, and there are not many craftsmen who can operate them. Unlike modern high-speed knitting machines, production takes a very long time, but the finished product has a nice texture and is soft and comfortable to wear.
STAND WHEEL
Daimaru
A stand wheel customised by a craftsman from Wakayama
The jersey fabric in the Heavyweight series is knitted on a vintage circular knitting machine specially customized by a craftsman in Wakayama, commonly known as the "STAND WHEELER" circular knitting machine.
The fabric is made using eight-count yarn, which is more than twice as thick as that knitted on a regular circular knitting machine. To create a tightly knitted jersey body using this yarn, it must be knitted on a standwheeler, a modified circular knitting machine for rib knitting. This is also a vintage machine, and there are only a limited number of craftsmen who are able to operate and maintain it.
The jersey fabric made by Standwiller is thick yet flexible, with a light touch.
SINKER
Sinker
A vintage circular knitting machine brings out the texture even more.
The body of the jersey is made with a vintage circular knitting machine from a long-established cut-and-sew manufacturer in Wakayama. While it is not as efficient as a regular high-speed sinker knitting machine, it makes the most of the uneven texture of the raffia slub yarn to create a rich, vintage-inspired fabric.
The traditional cylindrical knitting creates a round body with no side seams. It hugs the body for a relaxed feel, making it an ideal T-shirt for everyday wear. The wadding jersey is supple and comfortable against the skin.
