Edwin: Japanese denim, since 1947

Who Edwin are

Edwin was founded in Japan in 1947 by Tsunemi Yonehachi, and the name is widely reported to be a rearrangement of the letters in the word denim. Edwin's own timeline puts the first pair of Edwin jeans at 1961. Worth being precise here, because a lot of retailers say Edwin made the first jeans in Japan: domestically made Japanese denim had been around from roughly 1951, so 1961 is the first Edwin pair rather than the first Japanese one. Either way the company has been pushing at the edges of denim finishing ever since. Two of its processes matter: ONE WASH, a pre wash that takes the shrinkage out before you buy, and OLD WASH, which reproduced faded colour through careful abrasion and preceded stone washing.

Edwin is often credited with inventing stone washing outright. The evidence supports OLD WASH as a precursor rather than the invention itself, so we will leave the claim where it belongs.

Which Edwin is made in Japan, and which is not

Worth being straight about, because the price spread on this page tells the story. Edwin's explicitly labelled Made in Japan line uses fabrics from the most revered Japanese denim mills, Nihon Menpu, Kaihara, Kurabo and Kuroki, and those jeans are produced, treated and finished in Japan. Edwin also produces in Tunisia for the European market and in the USA for the American market.

The eight fits, in Edwin's own words

Edwin has moved away from the old ED-39, ED-55, ED-80 model codes towards eight named fits. People still search the codes, so here are the fits themselves.

Wide is a relaxed loose fit with a generous leg opening and a high rise. Loose is roomy through hips, thighs and legs with a comfortable rise. Loose Tapered is relaxed through hips and thighs with a gradual taper to the hem. Straight Leg is a classic relaxed fit, consistent width from thigh to hem. Regular Straight is balanced through waist, hips and thighs, falling into a straight leg. Regular Tapered is the same balanced fit, narrowing towards the hem. Slim Tapered is close and streamlined with a slightly narrower leg. Skinny is the closest fitting, with minimal excess fabric.

We currently stock Regular Straight, Regular Tapered and Loose.

How Edwin sizes, and the honest answer on Japanese sizing

Edwin sizes in waist and inside leg in inches, W30 to W36 with L32 typical, so there is no Japanese numeric conversion to work out. That is the first thing to know, because a lot of people arrive expecting one.

The widely repeated claim that Japanese denim brands run a size small is not something Edwin states anywhere. We checked the brand's own fit guide, its size guide pages and its regional sites, and none of them contain sizing tables, conversions or runs small guidance. If you are moving across from Levi's or Nudie, ring us and we will measure the pair on the rail against your current jeans.

Looking after it

Edwin's published advice is to turn jeans inside out and wash cold, roughly every ten wears for rigid denim and as needed for stretch, then air dry rather than tumble. A few drops of white vinegar in the first wash after purchase helps hold the colour. Between washes, spot treat rather than washing the whole pair.

The stock we carry is described as rinsed and washed rather than raw, so heavy shrinkage should not be an issue, but check the specific pair. Edwin's ONE WASH process exists precisely to take shrinkage out before you own them.

Buying Edwin from Belfast

We are a UK and Ireland stockist, with click and collect in Belfast and delivery across the UK and to the Republic of Ireland. We also carry Nudie Jeans, so if you want to compare a Japanese cut against a Scandinavian one in the same fitting room, that is possible here in a way it is not in most places.