Big John RARE R009 15.5oz unsanforized selvedge denim

Please note, this is a raw/unwashed denim and will shrink after washing. Please refer to the size guide for before/after measurements.

The 3rd generation of "RARE".

For the "RARE" collection, Big John worked with the most experienced craftsmen in Japan on each step of the production (spinning, dyeing, weaving, and sewing) to pursue the highest quality jeans they could create in Japan.

The denim on the R009 is nicknamed the BIG7055, this 15.5 oz unsanforised denim was literally built from the ground up for the RARE project. The cotton is a carefully blended mix of two different American staples, made into yarn threads by Asahi Boseki KK, a yarn spinning specialist in Osaka. Everything from the twist of the yarn to the shape of the slub has been customised, with a focus on smoothness and sturdiness.

The finished warp yarn is then sent onto Sakamoto Denim for indigo dyeing. There is a Sakamoto Ransei stamp on the pocket cloth of these jeans, translating to “Sakamoto indigo saint” in Japanese, the honorific given to Yasushi Sakamoto, the former president of the company and a legendary master of the indigo who had initially developed the synthindigo dye to be used for the third generation RARE denim products.

The yarns are woven at Shinya Mills, very slowly with minimal tension into denim on a single Sakamoto narrow shuttle loom from the 1950s. A special note about the weaving of this BIG7055 denim is that it was designed to be ‘Wrench Proof’, woven in such a way that the denim does not distort after shrink-to-fit or a wash in the washing machine.

The "RARE" collection is unsanforized, and will shrink approx 9% over the first 2 washes.

Please refer to the fit guide image (last product image) for detailed measurements of before and after wash measurements. 

Slim tapered silhouette
100% cotton
Unsanforized 15.5 oz RANSEI* denim *Japanese for "Master of Indigo"
Indigo-dyed deer leather patch
Steel buttons & rivets 
Double belt loop 
Single stitch hem for strength
Hidden polyester stitching for reinforcement 

35" inseam RAW / 32.3" inseam after wash

Made in Japan

We are proud to be one of the only stockists of Big John in the UK.

Big John is a brand of tradition and innovation. It has been over 70 years since we started our business as a small sewing factory in Kojima, Okayama, now known as the denim capital of Japan. We manufactured the first made-in-Japan jeans in 1965, and developed the first Japanese denim fabric in 1972.  Since then, we have continued to push boundaries in the world of denim. Our mission as the pioneer of Japanese Denim is to honor the history and lead the growth of this local industry.  Today, Big John's collection offers a full range of wardrobe. With Japanese design, Japanese fabric, and Japanese production as the core elements of our brand, we continue to pursue uncompromised quality and distinguished style in each piece of our clothing.