Wakayama Daibakusho | Wakayama Daibakusho Kinan Daibakusho Factory / Protein to Wear Spicy | Protein to Wear (spicy) (Sweatshirt)

Future thread / Adopted 'Brewed Protein TM Fiber'
Many Wakayama knits are made on 'circular knitting machines'. Each factory has its own specialty techniques, such as dense knitting, high gauge, and vintage, and a surprisingly diverse range of fabrics are produced from the same circular knitting machines. Kinan Daibakusho Factory's specialty is fabric production that resembles hand-knitting. They are knitters skilled at shaping exquisite textures that cannot be explained in words. The planning is handled by Ayako Takeuchi, the company's designer. How did this master of texture handle the new protein fiber material, Brewed Protein TM Fiber? Let's hear from her.
-What was your impression of Brewed Protein TM Fiber?
Takeuchi: First, I knitted a jersey with 20% Brewed Protein TM Fiber and 80% cotton, using 60/2-ply yarn. At the fabric stage, it had stretch and a unique elasticity unlike cotton, cashmere, or silk, which I found interesting. Then, when I dyed it, it shrank more than I expected.
-Did the heat from dyeing tighten it?
Takeuchi: Yes. The texture became stiff. This is a property not found in cotton, which I also found interesting.
-The duality of Brewed Protein TM Fiber. Softness and stiffness.
Takeuchi: Yes. So, first, I aimed for softness in the T-shirt. I re-made the first jersey I created to be looser.
-Looser?
Takeuchi: I loosened the yarn feed and enlarged the stitches (loops) of the fabric. It uses a lot of yarn, so it stretches horizontally. This is called 'loose knitting'. The T-shirt is knitted loosely, and I adjusted it so that the elasticity would be maintained even after shrinking during dyeing.
-What about the hoodie?
Takeuchi: The characteristic of shrinking when dyed is something you wouldn't expect with regular cotton. It's similar to bulky polyester or acrylic yarn. It also has volume, so I thought about how to utilize this, and decided on an inlay for the hoodie.
-Inlay is a technique where weft yarn is inserted (inlaid) into the knitted fabric. Compared to the standard loopback used for sweatshirts, it doesn't have the middle yarn connecting the front and back, which suppresses thickness and creates a crisp feel.
Takeuchi: That's right. Inlay is relatively high gauge, so the quality of the yarn is more apparent when the fabric tightens. As a result, I think it finished with a fabric-like, beautiful appearance.
-During dyeing, you turned the characteristic of Brewed Protein TM Fiber shrinking with heat into an advantage. If the soft jersey is 'mild', then the inlay is 'spicy', isn't it?
Takeuchi: Since Brewed Protein TM Fiber is protein-derived, you might associate it with animal fibers like wool or cashmere, but I also felt its potential as a substitute for synthetic fibers. Also, speaking of protein, I recommend it to those who are strength training.
A confident creation made with skill by a master of nuances, offering both soft mildness and firm spiciness. Please enjoy.