Avex Entertainment Inc. will be releasing a limited edition T-shirt made from 100% hemp cloth from "majotae," a Japanese fabric brand that uses hemp, a sustainable natural material gaining global attention.*1 The T-shirts are made from hemp cloth and are available exclusively on the company's official website (https://www.majotae.com/) from July 30th. The brand will take advantage of its know-how in creating hit IP to spread this new sustainable concept to the world, combining the comfort of hemp cloth, a sustainable material gaining global attention, with its eco-friendly, earth-friendly aspects. The company will take on the challenge of pioneering new business fields by creating moving experiences that go beyond the realm of entertainment.
Image 1: Majotae brand logo
Image 2: A 100% hemp cloth "T-shirt" made by Majotae
▷ About Majotae
Majotae is a brand that uses modern technology to revive the original texture of hemp, a material that has been used by Japanese people since ancient times. The greatest feature of "majotae" is its silky texture combined with the softness of cotton, overturning the commonly held image of hemp as being stiff and rough.
Shinichiro Yoshida, a leading hemp researcher and Avex advisor, and Genbei Yamaguchi, the 10th generation head of the obi craftsman Hondaya, launched the project in 2011 in collaboration with Avex. They thoroughly researched the Edo-period hemp fabric production process and mechanized it, replacing various manual processes with the latest technology and know-how to increase spinning efficiency. This resulted in a high-quality hemp fabric that becomes softer and more supple with use, adapting to the body with each use.
▷ Dramatically Expanding the Applications of the Sustainable Material "Hemp"
Hemp, with its fast-growing properties and ability to thrive in poor soil and arid regions, is attracting attention as the ultimate eco-material, as it can be cultivated without placing a significant burden on the global environment.*2 Until now, "majotae" has produced and sold hemp cloth (woven fabric), which, while high-quality, has limited uses due to the characteristics of hemp fiber. Now, by developing a yarn that is less likely to break during spinning than conventional methods, we have been able to produce not only plain weave but also knitted fabrics made from 100% hemp fiber*3. This will expand the uses of hemp cloth to include not only shirts and kimonos, but also knitted fabrics such as T-shirts and jerseys, where cotton and synthetic fibers have traditionally been widely used.
... Towards realizing a sustainable society, which will become increasingly important in the future, we have positioned hemp cloth as the eco-material of the future, and plan to gradually roll out products using "majotae" in the lifestyle sector.
▷ Comment from Yoshida, founder of the "majotae" project
"Hemp cloth has been an essential part of Japanese life since the Jomon period. We want people to touch this T-shirt, which has been made with 10,000 years of history behind it, and feel the mysterious texture of hemp cloth."
*1: Harmless hemp that does not contain hallucinogenic substances is used as the raw material
*2: The energy consumed to produce 1 ton of fiber is about 1/3 that of cotton (cotton 25.2GJ vs. hemp 8.2GJ). ： 厚底小売です。 English: Hemp Reader Akaboshi Eiji 2006
*3: Compared to other types of hemp such as linen or ramie, hemp fibers vary in texture and are straight, which means the thread has low elongation and is prone to breaking during spinning. It is particularly difficult to produce knitted fabrics, which require a higher elongation than woven fabrics.
*4: The main features of hemp cloth are its texture and softness, which improves with continued use, its durability, and its functionality, such as its quick-drying properties, moisture retention, and heat retention, due to its aerial structure and fiber properties.
*5: Bast fiber (hemp in general) raw material is softened with enzymes and twisted with strong alkali to increase spinning efficiency. Patented in Japan, Taiwan, the US, China, France, Belgium, and Spain.
▷ T-shirt Overview
Concept: Comfortable & times; Sustainable
A T-shirt that combines comfort and sustainability as a material.
Price: 19,800 yen (tax included, shipping not included)
Sizes: Available in 4 sizes (0, 1, 2, 3)
Quantity: Limited to first batch
Where to buy: Available for purchase on the official website (https://www.majotae.com/products).
▷ Official Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/majotaeofficial/
▷ Image video: https://youtu.be/TjDsmpIt0Zs
▷ About Avex
Avex is a comprehensive entertainment company involved in the music, anime/video, and live performance businesses. We are committed to spreading new values and messages that have not yet taken hold in society, making them a topic of conversation, and instilling awareness of new cultures.
【Reference Materials】
▷T-Shirt Overview
Concept: Comfortable & Sustainable
This T-shirt embodies the "comfort" of the material, creating a new sustainable style. "Linen" is often thought of as a summer material, but the various functional properties of hemp, including its "long-lasting value" as well as its quick-drying properties, heat retention, and moisture absorption, make it comfortable to wear all year round, regardless of the season or climate. Four sizes are available with different fit levels, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your preferences and the situation.
Wearing image: Size 0
Wearing image: Size 3
The symbolic Majoatae logo is hand-embroidered on the back.
The packaging is made from recycled paper and Japanese washi paper made from hemp fiber.
Price: JPY 19,800 (tax included, shipping not included)
Sizes: Available in 4 sizes (0, 1, 2, 3)
Quantity: Limited to the first batch
Where to buy: Available on the official website (https://www.majotae.com/)
▷Majotae, a fabric brand from Japan
"Majotae" is a brand that has brought hemp cloth, which was once an essential part of Japanese life, back to life in modern times.
Vintage hemp cloth: a kimono from the Edo period
Hemp cloth is made using extremely fine threads and still retains its firmness today
During the Edo period, it was said that "if you want soft cloth, you'll only need hemp cloth"
(See Mankin Sangyo Fukuro: 1732)
＜The Japanese and Hemp＞
Hemp cloth has been an essential part of Japanese life since ancient times. Hemp ropes have a long history, dating back approximately 10,000 years. Hemp ropes have been excavated from the remains of a Jomon period settlement, dating back approximately 10,000 years. Hemp cloth has long been considered a sacred fiber, used for the bell ropes and shimenawa (sacred ropes) at shrines. It is also a material deeply connected to the Japanese people, having been used in a variety of clothing and household items as a comfortable material suited to Japan's diverse climate and geography.
Commitment to Vintage Hemp Cloth
Compared to other hemp materials, hemp fiber has been considered less suitable for spinning. By thoroughly researching the hemp cloth production process, "majotae" has recreated the suppleness and softness of vintage hemp cloth made by hand-spinning (twisting and joining fibers to create long threads) and hand-weaving during the Edo period.
Commitment to Yarn Production
To maximize the soft feel of hemp fiber, "majotae" uses "dry spinning," a method of spinning while the fiber is still dry. By using "dry spinning," we achieve a fluffy finish with a high level of fuzz on the surface of the yarn.
Hemp cloth from the Edo period was repeatedly soaked in lye, pounded in a mortar, and exposed to the sun. This process removed impurities such as the outer skin and wood, as well as the components that solidify the fiber cells. The longer it was exposed to sunlight, the softer and more supple it became, acquiring a lustrous white luster. To faithfully reproduce the effects of sun-bleaching, "majotae" reinterprets various processes that were once performed by hand after weaving the cloth and replaces them with appropriate machine work, resulting in a softer texture.
"majotae" utilizes the properties of hemp as an eco-friendly material that can be cultivated without placing a significant burden on the global environment, pursuing a new concept of sustainability.
We are challenging the conventional idea of sustainability, which requires sacrificing something for the sake of the environment. Comfortable to wear, effortlessly sustainable. The more you wash it, the better it feels against your skin—a "pattern of value." It requires minimal water and no pesticides. Compared to other natural fibers, wearing plants has an extremely low environmental impact, making it sustainable in itself. This creates a completely new concept of sustainability that differs from traditional recycling, repair, and reuse.
Click here for company press release details
Image 1: Majotae brand logo
Image 2: A 100% hemp cloth "T-shirt" made by Majotae
▷ About Majotae
Majotae is a brand that uses modern technology to revive the original texture of hemp, a material that has been used by Japanese people since ancient times. The greatest feature of "majotae" is its silky texture combined with the softness of cotton, overturning the commonly held image of hemp as being stiff and rough.
Shinichiro Yoshida, a leading hemp researcher and Avex advisor, and Genbei Yamaguchi, the 10th generation head of the obi craftsman Hondaya, launched the project in 2011 in collaboration with Avex. They thoroughly researched the Edo-period hemp fabric production process and mechanized it, replacing various manual processes with the latest technology and know-how to increase spinning efficiency. This resulted in a high-quality hemp fabric that becomes softer and more supple with use, adapting to the body with each use.
▷ Dramatically Expanding the Applications of the Sustainable Material "Hemp"
Hemp, with its fast-growing properties and ability to thrive in poor soil and arid regions, is attracting attention as the ultimate eco-material, as it can be cultivated without placing a significant burden on the global environment.*2 Until now, "majotae" has produced and sold hemp cloth (woven fabric), which, while high-quality, has limited uses due to the characteristics of hemp fiber. Now, by developing a yarn that is less likely to break during spinning than conventional methods, we have been able to produce not only plain weave but also knitted fabrics made from 100% hemp fiber*3. This will expand the uses of hemp cloth to include not only shirts and kimonos, but also knitted fabrics such as T-shirts and jerseys, where cotton and synthetic fibers have traditionally been widely used.
... Towards realizing a sustainable society, which will become increasingly important in the future, we have positioned hemp cloth as the eco-material of the future, and plan to gradually roll out products using "majotae" in the lifestyle sector.
▷ Comment from Yoshida, founder of the "majotae" project
"Hemp cloth has been an essential part of Japanese life since the Jomon period. We want people to touch this T-shirt, which has been made with 10,000 years of history behind it, and feel the mysterious texture of hemp cloth."
*1: Harmless hemp that does not contain hallucinogenic substances is used as the raw material
*2: The energy consumed to produce 1 ton of fiber is about 1/3 that of cotton (cotton 25.2GJ vs. hemp 8.2GJ). ： 厚底小売です。 English: Hemp Reader Akaboshi Eiji 2006
*3: Compared to other types of hemp such as linen or ramie, hemp fibers vary in texture and are straight, which means the thread has low elongation and is prone to breaking during spinning. It is particularly difficult to produce knitted fabrics, which require a higher elongation than woven fabrics.
*4: The main features of hemp cloth are its texture and softness, which improves with continued use, its durability, and its functionality, such as its quick-drying properties, moisture retention, and heat retention, due to its aerial structure and fiber properties.
*5: Bast fiber (hemp in general) raw material is softened with enzymes and twisted with strong alkali to increase spinning efficiency. Patented in Japan, Taiwan, the US, China, France, Belgium, and Spain.
▷ T-shirt Overview
Concept: Comfortable & times; Sustainable
A T-shirt that combines comfort and sustainability as a material.
Price: 19,800 yen (tax included, shipping not included)
Sizes: Available in 4 sizes (0, 1, 2, 3)
Quantity: Limited to first batch
Where to buy: Available for purchase on the official website (https://www.majotae.com/products).
▷ Official Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/majotaeofficial/
▷ Image video: https://youtu.be/TjDsmpIt0Zs
▷ About Avex
Avex is a comprehensive entertainment company involved in the music, anime/video, and live performance businesses. We are committed to spreading new values and messages that have not yet taken hold in society, making them a topic of conversation, and instilling awareness of new cultures.
【Reference Materials】
▷T-Shirt Overview
Concept: Comfortable & Sustainable
This T-shirt embodies the "comfort" of the material, creating a new sustainable style. "Linen" is often thought of as a summer material, but the various functional properties of hemp, including its "long-lasting value" as well as its quick-drying properties, heat retention, and moisture absorption, make it comfortable to wear all year round, regardless of the season or climate. Four sizes are available with different fit levels, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your preferences and the situation.
Wearing image: Size 0Wearing image: Size 3The symbolic Majoatae logo is hand-embroidered on the back.The packaging is made from recycled paper and Japanese washi paper made from hemp fiber.Price: JPY 19,800 (tax included, shipping not included)
Sizes: Available in 4 sizes (0, 1, 2, 3)
Quantity: Limited to the first batch
Where to buy: Available on the official website (https://www.majotae.com/)
▷Majotae, a fabric brand from Japan
"Majotae" is a brand that has brought hemp cloth, which was once an essential part of Japanese life, back to life in modern times.
Vintage hemp cloth: a kimono from the Edo period
Hemp cloth is made using extremely fine threads and still retains its firmness today
During the Edo period, it was said that "if you want soft cloth, you'll only need hemp cloth"
(See Mankin Sangyo Fukuro: 1732)
＜The Japanese and Hemp＞
Hemp cloth has been an essential part of Japanese life since ancient times. Hemp ropes have a long history, dating back approximately 10,000 years. Hemp ropes have been excavated from the remains of a Jomon period settlement, dating back approximately 10,000 years. Hemp cloth has long been considered a sacred fiber, used for the bell ropes and shimenawa (sacred ropes) at shrines. It is also a material deeply connected to the Japanese people, having been used in a variety of clothing and household items as a comfortable material suited to Japan's diverse climate and geography.
Commitment to Vintage Hemp Cloth
Compared to other hemp materials, hemp fiber has been considered less suitable for spinning. By thoroughly researching the hemp cloth production process, "majotae" has recreated the suppleness and softness of vintage hemp cloth made by hand-spinning (twisting and joining fibers to create long threads) and hand-weaving during the Edo period.
Commitment to Yarn Production
To maximize the soft feel of hemp fiber, "majotae" uses "dry spinning," a method of spinning while the fiber is still dry. By using "dry spinning," we achieve a fluffy finish with a high level of fuzz on the surface of the yarn.
Hemp cloth from the Edo period was repeatedly soaked in lye, pounded in a mortar, and exposed to the sun. This process removed impurities such as the outer skin and wood, as well as the components that solidify the fiber cells. The longer it was exposed to sunlight, the softer and more supple it became, acquiring a lustrous white luster. To faithfully reproduce the effects of sun-bleaching, "majotae" reinterprets various processes that were once performed by hand after weaving the cloth and replaces them with appropriate machine work, resulting in a softer texture.
"majotae" utilizes the properties of hemp as an eco-friendly material that can be cultivated without placing a significant burden on the global environment, pursuing a new concept of sustainability.
We are challenging the conventional idea of sustainability, which requires sacrificing something for the sake of the environment. Comfortable to wear, effortlessly sustainable. The more you wash it, the better it feels against your skin—a "pattern of value." It requires minimal water and no pesticides. Compared to other natural fibers, wearing plants has an extremely low environmental impact, making it sustainable in itself. This creates a completely new concept of sustainability that differs from traditional recycling, repair, and reuse.
Click here for company press release details
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