The Flat Head

[Kyle@TFH]

+rep for Herbal Essences.

 

Seriously though, that's a perfect fit, and the length is just right, too.  However, I think that they'll probably shrink a little more with future washes.

[LeftOfRitual]

 

 

The fit on the 3001 above looks great! I tried to take a detail shot of the vertical character on my BSPs - I wish they weren't a size too big.

[Danny @ Rivet & Hide]

Perfect fit, Matt. They look great.

[louisbosco]

just got this.

 

[Mich]

^ beautiful!

[louisbosco]

thanks. got it at a steal price really.

[Mich]

thanks. got it at a steal price really.

Even better.

Is it made of horsehide?

[S-Town]

Kyle, I noticed you wearing one of the snow pattern sweats.  They look so nice.

 

Are those really tight through the forearm, or is there a bit of room there?

[Kyle@TFH]

The arm is pretty relaxed, it's not tight at all.

[Denim-Garage]

My Flat Head Jeans S5001 & Picture with very sympathetic Kobayashi San in the DC4 Japanese Denim Store Berlin

 

[snchz]

Hi, I have bought a pair of 3001 from Rivet and Hide but they are too skinny before soak. Too tight at thighs and hard to button. I´m going to return them but I don´t know if get a 30 or 31.

These are my measurements:

Natural waist: 31,2"

natural Thigh: 20,4

Could you recommend me a size? 30 or 31?

This photos are size 29 before soak:

Edited May 17, 2013 by snchz

[Maddogwellz]

If your true waist is 31 go tts.

[Kyle@TFH]

Yes, I think that 31 would be the best choice as well.  Those jeans probably have a lot of shrinkage left. 

 

For what it's worth, I usually wear a size 31-32 in Japanese, jeans, but the other day I tried on a pre-wash pair of 3001s in size 34 that were still too tight on my thighs.

[Kyle@TFH]

 

 

Introducing the new Flat Head 4002. This is a slim tapered fit similar to the 3002 and SE05BSP, which is made with Flat Head's original black denim.  Compared to the BSPs I used to wear, the top two inches of the thigh are slimmer, while the lower thigh is slightly looser; the hem is about the same. These have a zipper fly and a low-ish rise.

 

This is probably the best fit I've managed to get from a slim tapered jean, and I'll probably wear them more often starting this fall. These are the first pair of jeans that I've ever hemmed (from about 96 cm to 91 cm.)

[sbasinger]

SE05BSP Sz 34, soaked once.

[Zenshiro]

That's a very very nice fit Kyle.

[BukkakeKing]

kyle that fit is a killer ! i have the BSP and now i'm definitly thinking of this one for my next pair !

[604_skyline]

Kyle, what shirt is that you are wearing above?  As well; can you break down the flat head/rjb shoes for us in terms of sizing. I really like the white leather flat head shoes, but with most japanese shoes they are like triple E wide, does that apply for these as well? if that was the case most would need to size down a half to a whole size?

[Kyle@TFH]

It's a THC-116W "Pursue The Good For Life" tee, it's definitely my favorite from the spring/summer collection. 

 

The shoes are the same width as Converse or Vans, I wear an 11.5 in Vans, a 10 in FH sneakers, and they're virtually the same size.  The general advice is to go down a size from your regular sneaker size.  I was really quite surprised that the size 10 sneakers fit me. 

[Sugar Mountain]

While you're answering questions Kyle... is the black denim used on the 4002 expected to fade like the Pioneer series blue denim? Could be really interesting to see that vertical fading on black jeans.

[Kyle@TFH]

I am always around to answer questions.

 

And yes, it does - it has the same hairy, textured feel as the Pioneer denim, and based on the faded samples I've seen, it has the same vertical fading - only black. It's an original formula FH developed to fade like indigo, and the threads are rope-dyed like indigo denim, so the core of the thread remains white for better fading ability.

[sbasinger]

I am always around to answer questions.

 

And yes, it does - it has the same hairy, textured feel as the Pioneer denim, and based on the faded samples I've seen, it has the same vertical fading - only black. It's an original formula FH developed to fade like indigo, and the threads are rope-dyed like indigo denim, so the core of the thread remains white for better fading ability.

This makes me very excited to start wearing my 4001BKs!

[Kyle@TFH]

Okay guys, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. I had the privilege of visiting Kojima, Okayama prefecture, where I saw firsthand how Flat Head creates their jeans. As far as I can tell, none of this has ever been documented in English before, and there are virtually no other companies that make jeans this way. 

 

Even among the high-class Japanese brands, most jeans are cut and sewn in a single factory. Flat Head, however, is unique in that they do not make their jeans in a central factory; rather, they have about half a dozen different locations in the Kojima area, each dedicated to a different stage of producing jeans.

 

Because this is somewhat sensitive information, I can’t give out too many names or details concerning exactly how Flat Head does this, nor the names of the company or their employees. However, you can get a never-before-seen look into the unique ways we make our jeans. This is a lot of information, so I’ll be taking several posts to write about all of it. 

 

Part One: The City, The Office

 

 

Kojima (now technically a part of Kurashiki) is located in western Japan. The area is best known for the massive Great Seto Bridge connecting Japan’s main island Honshu to Shikoku (which is the only place in Japan where indigo is produced.) The region is a center for heavy industry as well as an important international port. But more importantly for us, Kojima is also the heart of Japan's denim production. Many companies are headquartered here, ranging from beloved enthusiast brands to mainstream jeans that can be found in any store in Japan.

 

 

Kojima has capitalized on its denim heritage, with a denim museum (where you can make your own denim items and accessories), a tour bus connecting popular destinations, and a Jeans Street, where many clothing stores and denim-related shops are located.

 

 

 

However, Flat Head’s activity in Kojima is far from the typical tourist destinations.  Our journey into the heart of Flat Head’s denim production takes us far from the city’s factories and mills and into small, winding neighborhoods where you would never expect to see jeans being produced.

 

 

 

First off, we visited the main office of the sewing company. They’ve been in business for over twenty-five years; a love for denim runs deep in their veins and they’ve been doing this for longer than almost all of our favorite brands have even existed. Their workers have many years of experience that predates the manufacture of jeans, but they’re also training the next generation of skilled workers to inherit these techniques.

 

They make jeans for at least one other Superfuture-familiar brand, and have made for others in the past, but it’s clear that their closest relationship is with Flat Head. The CEO (and our tour guide) was dressed from head to toe in Flat Head apparel.  I asked him many questions about the company – their history, the other brands they’d worked with, and so on. He said that Flat Head jeans are by far the most difficult for them to make because of the unique processes and time-consuming methods we use which differ from that of other brands.

 

The office is where the company tests out machinery and techniques, cuts patterns, and works with new fabrics. This is also where samples (such as my 4002 prototype jeans) are made. It has a variety of vintage sewing machines and tools on hand.

 

 

 

 

Next time we’ll take a look at the first stop in the creation of Flat Head’s jeans!

 

 

[bradl]

Awesome, looking forward to seeing the rest of the journey.

[604_skyline]

It's a THC-116W "Pursue The Good For Life" tee, it's definitely my favorite from the spring/summer collection. 

 

The shoes are the same width as Converse or Vans, I wear an 11.5 in Vans, a 10 in FH sneakers, and they're virtually the same size.  The general advice is to go down a size from your regular sneaker size.  I was really quite surprised that the size 10 sneakers fit me. 

Kyle,

 

thanks very much for all the info, if I wear a men's US 7 in converse, what size do you think I should get in the flat head sneakers then? and do they even make them that small?

 

my apologies for all the questions, but you are able to get hands on with them so....

[Kyle@TFH]

The smallest size is 6. You'd probably be a 6 or 6.5; Kiya says most people go down half a size from their regular shoe with FH sneakers. I think I just have weird feet.

[aho]

amazing stuff kyle, looking forward to the next part!

[Denim-Garage]

The Flat Head Thermal Cap, Wallet, hand sewn Card Case, Belt, 3 Feather Pendant, Belt Clip

 

 

[Kyle@TFH]

VERY nice!  I love the belt clip, now you just need a good chain to go with all this.

[Kwaker]

They make jeans for at least one other Superfuture-familiar brand, and have made for others in the past, but it’s clear that their closest relationship is with Flat Head. The CEO (and our tour guide) was dressed from head to toe in Flat Head apparel.  I asked him many questions about the company – their history, the other brands they’d worked with, and so on. He said that Flat Head jeans are by far the most difficult for them to make because of the unique processes and time-consuming methods we use which differ from that of other brands.

 

When comparing the FHs against the other MIJ jeans in my collection, the only "unique and time-consuming method" that I've noticed is the multiple sewing thread thicknesses and colours used.  What else have others noticed?

Edited May 24, 2013 by Kwaker