Made in Fukushima Projects. Update: 14/07/2013

Posted July 11, 2013

Here at Rope Dye we love to support a good idea and one of the best we have heard in a while is by Takashi Okabe. Takashi, or Taka as he is known, is the man responsible for bringing us Allevol jeans. Allevol is based in London but Taka however is originally from Japan. Like many of us he watched powerless as the earthquake and resulting Tsunami hit Fukushima in 2011. To help the victims, Taka has created Made in Fukushima Projects.

Two years later on, the effects of the disaster are still being felt in a very visceral way. The main industry in the area was agriculture. With the radiation fallout this industry has now all but vanished. The Made in Fukushima Projects seek to bring other forms of trade into the area.Like all good things Taka will start small with a number of beautifully made t-shirts. As the business grows he plans to expand on this with a number of accessories.

Made in Fukushima Projects are at this moment looking for funding through Kickstarter.

Hear Taka explain the whole story in this short video – the Kickstarter page can be found here. Support a fantastic cause and get a quality t-shirt into the bargain. See we told you it was a good idea.

News Just In.

As evidenced by his range of garments and accessories William Kroll, the founder of Tender Co. also appreciates a good idea. William has a deep connection with Japan through his love for denim, a passion that saw him travel there to learn the traditional way of dying with indigo. To support the project he has created an exclusive T Shirt print design featuring his signature logo design, slightly tweaked for the Fukushima projects. Again, you can find full details through the Kickstarter page here.

Matt Wilson

Before turning his attention toward clothing and fashion, Matt Wilson was a product designer. He witnessed first-hand the unethical manufacture of products designed and developed specifically for obsolescence and quickly recognised the inherent dangers of this attitude towards consumerism. A happy chance occurred when he discovered Raw Denim. Fascinated by the narrative contained in each garment, this newfound passion led him into a journey of discovery through the fashion and clothing industry. The qualities he found in a great pair of jeans he soon found in other garments, shoes and accessories. Up until February 2017, Matt was heavily involved with Selvedge Run, a trade show for menswear, shoes and accessories. A home for brands with a philosophy that aligned perfectly with his principles of craft and quality at the core of a good product. He now shares this passion the as the Editor of Rope Dye, an online men’s lifestyle magazine about the passion for well-crafted menswear as well as other cherished products and designs that baulk against today’s throw-away culture.