Revived Japanese Pattern Aloha Shirt Made of 1950's Replica Fabric

This aloha shirt is made by a Yokohama-based apparel company with IOLANI, a long-established brand of Hawaiian casual wear. The Aloha shirt, which some believe originated from the Japanese kimono, is made from a vintage replica fabric with a Japanese pattern. Please feel the charm of the aloha shirt, which may look flashy at first glance but actually fits in well with everyday use, with this product made in Yokohama.

The aloha shirt may have the image of being a Hawaiian garment, but one theory is that it originated from the Japanese kimono, which was worn by Japanese immigrants from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, who took the kimono they had brought with them and tailored it into a jacket style called a “palaka,” which was worn locally. Another theory is that it originated when local people, attracted by the beauty of the kimono, asked to have their kimonos made into shirts.

We are using a vintage replica of a Japanese pattern fabric that is believed to have been produced in the 1950s for this product. The rayon material, which is a requirement for vintage, is overprinted (a printing method that overlaps colors). The carp pattern depicts a carp climbing a waterfall. It represents success in life and is a pattern of good fortune. The undulation of the water on the ground is a touch reminiscent of an ink painting. Goldfish are known as a seasonal word for summer because of the coolness of the way they swim with their tail fins flipped, and the pattern is often used in summer kimono patterns. This fabric also has a cool atmosphere. Since the pattern is so special, we paid special attention to the matching of the pattern on the breast pocket and carefully sewed it so that the pattern looks connected and beautiful.

Attention is also paid to detail. The tag on the back of the collar is embroidered with King Kamehameha I. The fabric is rayon fujiette. The warp and weft yarns are made of different materials, and it has both the suppleness of silk fabric and the unique texture of rayon. The unique feathery feel of the surface is also a feature. Printing is done by overprinting, a technique in which colors are layered on top of each other. This is a technique that has been used since long ago, and many aloha shirts from the 1930s to the present have used overprinted fabrics.

The buttons are mainly the most popular buttons made from carved coconuts. Only the bottom button is accented with a pattern of old coins. This button was introduced around the 1950s and is said to have been used to give an upscale look to aloha shirts. Also in sewing, respecting the manufacturing method used in the 1950s, we adopted the "bag collar" style, in which the collar is sewn in a way that the seam is not visible from the front.

This sustainable aloha shirt was created by breathing new life into stock fabrics and reusing them. As a long-established brand, we are proud of the attention to detail in the production of these shirts, and we would be happy if you would take a look at them for yourself.