“Sweatshirts were once considered luxury items.”

“Sweatshirts were once ‘luxury goods.’”

Good evening. This is Matsushima from cantáte.

My parents’ generation—the 1970s and 1980s.

Sweatshirts of that era were, by today’s standards, astonishingly “luxury goods.”

Why? There is only one answer: “loopwheel knitting.”

A loopwheel knitting machine is an old-fashioned machine that knits slowly, building up the yarn layer by layer.

In exchange for the inefficiency of producing only enough for a few garments a day, it can be finished without putting strain on the yarn.

That is why the fabric holds air softly, with thickness and resilience while remaining gentle.

And it has the durability to retain its shape even after years of wear.

But that efficiency is one-thirtieth that of sinker knitting.

In an era when sweatshirts and denim were selling rapidly, there was no way to keep up with demand.

As a result, denim shifted from shuttle looms to rapier looms.

Sweatshirts shifted from loopwheel knitting to sinker knitting.

“Quantity over quality” was the answer demanded by the times.

However, loopwheel and sinker knitting only look similar at a glance; in reality, they are completely different.

With sinker knitting, pulling the backing yarn slightly can cause puckering all the way through to the face.

By contrast, loopwheel knitting has an independent three-layer structure of face, middle, and back layers, which support one another as they form the fabric.

Like the “fan” formation in human pyramids.

It has a balanced stability that supports the whole, even if one part gives way.

That is why, when worn, it falls cleanly from the shoulders to the hem, creating a stable, well-balanced silhouette.

<cantáte>

“Fluffy Crew Neck Pullover”

COLOR : NAVY , L/GRAY , MILK

SIZE: 44,46,48

￥57,200- TAX IN

“Fluffy Wide Pants”

COLOR : NAVY , L/GRAY , MILK

SIZE: 44,46,48

￥60,500- TAX IN

 

What Fluffy Embodies

cantáte’s Fluffy series consists of sweatshirts made with that “genuine loopwheel knitting.”

For the backing yarn, we use “untwisted yarn,” also used for baby undergarments.

By leaving the yarn untwisted, it creates a soft, gentle feel against the skin, sinking in with a plush, cushioned sensation.

Once you put it on, you will be amazed: “This much from a sweatshirt?”

Moreover, this fabric can produce only three pairs of pants per day.

It is an astonishingly inefficient process, but that is precisely where the value of loopwheel knitting lies.

It is soft yet substantial, and the more it is washed, the more naturally it conforms to the body.

This material fundamentally overturns the fixed idea that “sweatshirts are consumables.”

 

 

 

The Accumulation of Details

 

Of course, it is not only about the fabric.

To make it a sweatshirt you “want to wear outside,” rather than simply “loungewear,” every detail has been carefully considered.

 

・Flat Seam

Look at the seams of a sweatshirt.

Why do some seams rise with a rugged texture while others are astonishingly flat?

The secret lies in a specialized sewing machine that joins the fabric edges together. Because the seam allowances do not overlap, it causes no irritation against the skin and follows the soft stretch of the loopwheel knit.

That is why the phrase “the seams do not kill the fabric” feels so fitting.

It does more than provide comfort; it makes full use of the fabric’s texture and softness. This sewing specification is now rare because of the time and skill it requires.

 

 

・Two-Needle Stitching

Two parallel lines running along the hems and cuffs.

Why does it feel classic and reassuring, despite looking so familiar?

Two rows of stitching on the outside, and zigzagging looper thread on the inside. This construction combines durability with stretch.

Even during vigorous movement, the seams are less likely to tear, while also stretching softly.

That is why it carries an unmistakable character reminiscent of vintage sweatshirts.

It is not merely a sewing specification, but a design passed down through the ages.

 

 

・Reverse Weave Construction

Using the fabric crosswise. How can such a simple idea change the character of a sweatshirt so dramatically?

The primary aim is to increase resistance to vertical shrinkage. Even after repeated washing, the length does not shorten, allowing the silhouette to retain its shape.

But that is not all. The added horizontal firmness naturally gives the body’s lines a three-dimensional shape.

This is especially noticeable in pants, which trace a gentle curve from the waist to the thighs.

It reveals a rich character unlike that of an ordinary “straight-cut sweatshirt pant.”

 

 

・Binder NeckWhat is the first part of a sweatshirt to wear out? The answer is the neckline.

Pulled each time it is put on and taken off, it stretches, ripples, and eventually collapses into an untidy shape.

That is how the binder neck was devised. Rather than simply sewing on ribbing, the fabric is wrapped all the way around with tape-like material and reinforced with a double layer.

This construction alone dramatically increases the durability of the neckline.

A neckline that stands crisp even after years—the sense of cleanliness it embodies is precisely why the sweatshirt can continue to be worn like a “uniform.”

 

 

 

・V-shaped gusset

Gussets are said to “catch sweat,” but is that really true?

Sweat falls to the center of the chest, into the area commonly called the cleavage. That is a fact.

However, before that can happen, you would need to sweat enough to exceed the fabric’s absorbency.

In other words, I believe the detail is designed with the stage before you become drenched in sweat in mind.

If anything, I thinkA detail that creates “room” in the neckline so it remains wearable even after shrinkingI believe that may be the case.

The neckline is an area where stress concentrates. It is reinforced with a binder neck, with a V-shaped gusset added as well.

These layers of thoughtful construction create a reassuring feel around the neck.

The surrounding seams use flatlock or two-needle stitching.

The seams do not feel bulky against the skin and properly follow the fabric’s stretch.

“The seams do not kill the fabric”—that is the phrase that best describes this construction.

Moreover, the reverse-weave construction works throughout the body, offering resistance to vertical shrinkage while adding structure horizontally.

For pants, it creates natural volume from the waist through the thighs, while for tops, it brings out the gusset and neckline details.

In other words, the V-shaped gusset is not a component that stands on its own,

Only when combined with the other details do they create “the stable feel characteristic of a sweatshirt”within the styling.

 

They come alive

Fluffy Crew Neck Pullover & Fluffy Wide Pants (183cm Size: 48)

 

When this much care is put into the fabric and details, the silhouette naturally becomes something that “looks at home in the city.”

The crew neck features raglan sleeves, creating a beautiful shoulder drop.

And this time, what I especially want you to pay attention to is the pants.

Typical sweatpants come with the risk of looking like loungewear or appearing sloppy.

However, this model is different. Designed with a wide straight cut, it forms a natural volume from the waist through the thighs before falling cleanly toward the hem.

The line makes the legs look clean and long, relaxed without appearing sloppy.

 

・Hem stitching

When you hear “sweatpants,” you probably picture elasticated hems or drawstrings.

But these pants do not have that. The hems are deliberately finished with a turned-back hem.

Without cinching the hem with elastic, it creates a straight line that falls cleanly to the feet.

It works with both leather shoes and sneakers, resulting in a silhouette that looks at home in the city as “pants,” not sportswear.

This construction maintains a relaxed feel while thoroughly eliminating looseness and childishness.

 

・Pocket bags

We want to take care with the parts that cannot be seen.

The pocket bags use the same pocketing fabric used in woven garments, rather than sweatshirt fabric.

Why? Because this is the area that gets rubbed every time you put your hands in.

If sweatshirt fabric were used as is, it would quickly tear, puff up, and lose its shape.

Using pocketing fabric increases durability and helps prevent sagging even with daily use.

This construction supports the reliability of the pants where it cannot be seen.

 

・Waist ribbing

Ribbing is added at the waist.

However, instead of standard rib fabric, they use self-fabric ribbing made from the same cloth as the body.

Designed to wrap around the waist like basketball pants, they naturally conform to the body.

Rather than relying on drawstrings or tight elastic, they are supported by the natural softness and stretch of sweatshirt fabric, so their character remains intact when worn.

 

Because the appearance around the waist was carefully considered, they look just as good with a tucked-in top.

Using a reverse-weave construction, they develop horizontal structure, allowing the silhouette to emerge three-dimensionally.

They are sure to fundamentally overturn the dowdiness you had accepted as unavoidable with sweatpants.

They work with any footwear.

They look polished with leather shoes and blend in lightly with sneakers.

The reason these sweatpants work properly as city wear is the “drape” and “balance” they possess.

A pair that gives you both a relaxed feel and refined elegance.

These are pants you’ll find yourself wanting to incorporate into your everyday styling.

And then, the color.

In particular, “top grey” is a color created by a cotton spinner who admired the wool industry, which dealt exclusively in luxury goods.

This color was born from the desire to recreate in cotton the top grey commonly found in luxurious wool products.

Now, on the contrary, you may come to feel that “top grey = sweatshirt.”

 

 

 

And I think you’ll relate.

 

To be honest, I didn’t like sweatshirts.

It feels like loungewear and can look sloppy.

But Fluffy is different.

“Soft yet strong,” “everyday wear yet refined.”

You’ll find yourself reaching for it so often that even you may be surprised.

Those who thought “any sweatshirt will do” are the ones most likely to notice the difference.

An everyday staple that you will never want to let go of.

That is Fluffy.

I’ll keep my own pair, worn for about three years and heavily used, on display in the store.

It has developed a wonderful texture, so please feel it for yourself.

 

cantáte Shin Matsushima