RIDGE MOUNTAIN GEAR Basic Long Sleeve Shirt "Stripe"

I had the idea that I wanted to make a striped shirt.

The reason behind this feeling is my memory of when I was crazy about striped shirts in the late 1990s. At that time, I loved striped shirts from various brands, from work-style shirts such as "BEN DAVIS", "NEIGHBORHOOD", and "POST O'ALLS" to fashionable shirts such as "COMME des GARCONS SHIRT". Those shirts were more than just clothing, they were icons that expressed my younger self and were indispensable in my search for my own style.

Striped shirts are special to me. They are simple, yet the rhythm and nuances they contain give them a sense of playfulness. They are firmly rooted in my memories and feelings from the past. I wanted to experience that feeling again for the first time in a long time, and so the desire to "make a striped shirt" began to grow.

However, I couldn't just use the same striped cotton fabric as I did back then, because I'm now working on developing hiking gear, which has to have practicality and performance as well as fashion value.

I was particularly picky about the fabric I chose. After searching for a material that would be suitable for modern hiking wear and bring out the lightness of stripes to the fullest, I arrived at "Primeflex® x Dot Air® 2Way Soccer Stripe." This fabric is highly breathable, has excellent stretchability, is lightweight, and does not wrinkle easily. And yet, visually it exudes a somewhat classic atmosphere, which fully fulfills my nostalgia for striped shirts.

This shirt is not just for feeling nostalgic. It is a piece of clothing with new value that inherits memories of the past while beautifully blending with modern functionality. It is designed to be comfortable not only while hiking, but also to blend naturally into the city and daily life after coming down from the mountain. We hope that wearing this shirt will provide you with a special experience where your memories of those days intersect with your current style.

RIDGE MOUNTAIN GEAR's "Basic" series

At RIDGE MOUNTAIN GEAR, we put a special emphasis on products named "Basic." As the name suggests, the "Basic" series is a group of products that pursue the essential elements of everyday life and the outdoors. This series is embodied in the design philosophy of "stripping away the unnecessary and leaving only what is truly necessary."

[Essential simplicity and functionality]

The name "Basic" embodies the idea of ​​eliminating decoration and focusing on necessary functions. Its simple and sophisticated design is intuitive and easy to use, reducing the burden on the user. In addition, the design can be used comfortably both outdoors and in everyday life, embodying the importance of being "basic". The essence of functionality is firmly alive in the simplicity.

[Ability to handle a wide range of applications]

The "Basic" series is not intended to be limited to a specific scene. Rather, it is characterized by its versatility, which blends naturally into a variety of situations, from everyday life to active outdoor activities. It is flexible to the user's style and purpose, and aims to be "usable not only for special occasions but also for everyday use." This series will become a trusted item in a wide range of situations.

Universal and long-lasting design

Another feature of the "Basic" series is its timeless design that is not affected by trends. We focus on designs and materials that will be loved for a long time, without being swayed by temporary trends. Furthermore, with a design that emphasizes durability, it is intended to be an item that will continue to accompany the user's daily life. Therefore, the attachment to the product deepens not from the moment of purchase, but as you continue to use it, and it becomes a product that naturally blends into your lifestyle.

The name "Basic" means more than just simplicity. It is a product that is close to the user and serves as a "foundation" that allows the user to be natural in any environment. As its name suggests, the RIDGE MOUNTAIN GEAR "Basic" series will continue to exist as a "foundation" that can be relied on at any moment.

Design

This shirt was created with a basic design in mind, blending naturally into everyday life. It features a simple and versatile style without excessive decoration, making it easy to wear in a variety of situations.

The silhouette is designed to be relaxed and not too tight around the body. We focused on ease of movement, but also sought to strike a perfect balance so that it doesn't look sloppy. This means that you can wear it for long periods of time without feeling any stress.

It's a simple design shirt, but the details are carefully crafted.

Rounded Edges

Since it is susceptible to wear and tear, we designed it to eliminate as many sharp points as possible.

In order to prevent wear, we used small round shapes in these areas. Usually, these areas are finished with sharp angles, which makes them more susceptible to wear and tear and makes fraying more noticeable. By incorporating small round shapes, we aimed to create a design that reduces damage from wear and tear and maintains its beauty for a long period of time.

However, this small round shape requires advanced sewing techniques. The stitch pitch must be set finely and there is an increased need for manual work along the curves, making it a very delicate and difficult process for the craftsman. Nevertheless, we chose this shape in pursuit of the beauty and durability of the finished product.

Smaller designed collar

One of the features of this shirt is the "shirt collar with stand." The stand collar allows the collar to fit beautifully around the neck, giving the silhouette a sophisticated impression when worn.

In addition, both the base collar and the upper collar are designed to be low and compact. This minimizes flapping of the upper collar in the wind, allowing you to wear it comfortably without stress even when using it outdoors. This modest collar is designed not only to look beautiful, but also to be practical.

The RIDGE MOUNTAIN GEAR philosophy of "simple yet detailed" is also reflected in the collar design. Please try it out and experience its charm.

The pattern is designed so that the top collar fits snugly against the neck when worn upright.

Sleeves with movement under the arms

The armholes are designed to be wide for ease of movement. By ensuring sufficient range of motion at the armpits (bottom) when raising your arms, you can move comfortably and without stress.

This design is made with outdoor use in mind, as it prevents the shirt from being pulled down and restrictive even when you need to move your arms widely, such as when taking something in and out of a backpack or using poles on a steep uphill slope.

The roomy armholes are also extremely convenient for layering. You can layer a variety of items, from a light base layer to a slightly thicker winter coat, making this shirt useful for a wide range of seasons. Attention to detail in the design makes this shirt comfortable.

Folded stitch

All seams are made with a flat-felled stitch. A flat-felled stitch is a method of folding the edge of the fabric inward and sewing it together, resulting in a finished product where the edge of the fabric is not visible, as shown in the image above. This sewing method is characterized by its beautiful appearance and increased strength, as the seam is not exposed.

However, the folded seam is very time-consuming. It requires an extra step of folding the fabric, so sewing requires high skill and careful work. Nevertheless, we chose this method because we aimed for a strong, long-lasting finish.

Although using a serger to process seams is efficient, the exposed threads run the risk of becoming unraveled if they get caught on a fingernail, etc. By using a folded-felled stitch, we can prevent this problem and improve durability.

Snap button

All buttons are made of resin snap buttons (YKK PLANCER®). This choice prevents problems such as buttons being lost due to thread breakage, which is common with regular sewn-on buttons. In addition, the structure of the snap button makes it easy to open and close, and it is easy to put on and take off frequently.

This type of button is also highly durable and can be used safely outdoors.

Hanger loop

The back yoke has a hanger loop, a traditional shirt detail that may not be used much in everyday life but is extremely useful when hiking.

For example, when taking a break at a tent site or on a trail, you can quickly hang your shirt on a branch or hook, which is a convenient feature unique to the outdoors. It can also be used to hang out a wet shirt or temporarily attach it to the outside of your pack.

Material

This product uses "Primeflex® x Dot Air® 2-Way Sucker Stripe" which has 4-way stretch (stretches vertically and horizontally).

Primeflex® is an environmentally friendly stretch material developed by Toray Industries, Inc. Primeflex is quick-drying and stretchy compared to conventional polyester fabrics, and keeps you dry even after sweating.

Dot Air® is a functional material developed by Toray Industries, Inc. Using Toray's unique processing technology, the fabric is provided with tiny dot-shaped ventilation holes, making it highly breathable, lightweight, quick-drying, wrinkle-resistant, and naturally stretchy. It also has water repellency.

The "Primeflex® x Dot Air® 2-Way Soccer Stripe" used this time was born from combining these two functional materials.

"Sucker weave" is a type of fabric that is often used especially for summer items. The characteristic of the seersucker weave is that the surface of the fabric has small bumps, which help air flow and keep it away from the skin, making it cool to wear.

Two types of special stretch yarns with different shrinkage rates are used, providing excellent stretchability in all directions. This technology allows the material to flexibly accommodate any movement, greatly improving comfort when worn. It smoothly follows the movements of your body even during active scenes, so you won't feel any stress.

[Breathability (cm3/cm2.sec)]
Test method: JIS-L-1096 A method (Brazil method) → 77.7

[Water repellency]
This product is not water-repellent.

[Water absorption (seconds)]
Test method: JIS-L-1907 A method → ​​Back side 2

[Quick drying (minutes)]
Test method: ISO-17617 A-1 method → ​​31.7

[Tear strength (N)]
Test method: JIS-L-1096 D method → ​​Vertical 14.2 Horizontal 11.5

[Pilling (grade)]
Test method: JIS-L-1076 A method → ​​10h 4.5

Spec

Material: 100% polyester
Sizes: (Men) S, M, L, XL (Women) S, M, L
Weight: Men/M approx. 154g
Country of origin: Japan Producer: Kuroishi Fashion Studio Ltd., Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture

Anti-static measures

A special discharge tape is sewn into the garment to suppress static electricity caused by electrical charging, which can easily occur with clothing made of thin synthetic fibers (such as nylon or polyester).
(※From the "Poly Basic Long Sleeve Shirt" which will go on sale from 2023)

Discharge tape was developed as a measure to reduce the electrostatic charge that has adverse effects on the human body. Discharge tape does not prevent static electricity, but reduces the electrostatic charge by discharging, preventing the discomfort caused by static electricity.
By wearing it, it will not cause any trouble to mobile phones, computers, or other devices. Moreover, it has the effect of keeping pollen and dust away from the surrounding area while discharging.

The discharge tape is cut into 2cm chips and sewn into 4 places: 1) inside the cuffs of both sleeves, and 2) at the bottom of both sides. The discharge tape is not visible because it is sewn into the seam allowance.

[Discharge mechanism]

The sketch is an image of the state of electrons when static electricity is generated when no discharge tape is used.
The fabric becomes negatively charged, and when it comes into contact with positive electricity in the air, a static electricity is generated with a "crack!".

The diagram below shows the case when discharge tape is used. The negative charges gather on the discharge tape and are neutralized with the positive charges in the air, instantly lowering the electrostatic charge on the fabric.

*Please note that it is not possible to completely prevent static electricity.

Precautions when wearing

Due to the characteristics of the material, this product is prone to snagging. Please use with particular caution when walking on mountain paths with tree branches or thorns, or near hook-and-loop fasteners or other materials that may easily snag.

Also, if the material on the back of the backpack you are using is rough, snagging or loose threads may occur without you noticing. Please use with caution.

Please be careful with add-on bottle holders and other types that use hook-and-loop fasteners (Velcro).

The image above shows the male part of a hook-and-loop fastener (Velcro). The male part is made of small hooks, so it is prone to getting caught on things.

Press the male part of the hook-and-loop fastener (Velcro) against the fabric and rub it several times.

The thread will come out as shown in the image above.

If the thread is only slightly sticking out, use scissors to cut the thread at the base.
If a large amount of thread comes out or the fabric hangs down, please contact us via the "Contact" page.

Color

※About the color of the product

We strive to make the product images as close to the actual colors as possible, but the actual colors may differ depending on your viewing environment and monitor settings.
Please also note that it is difficult to perfectly reproduce the texture and luster of the fabric on the screen.

Blue × White

Grey × White
*Navy grey.

Size Chart

Please note that this product is available in men's and women's sizes.

[Men]
Available in 4 sizes: S, M, L, and XL

[Women]
Available in three sizes: S, M, and L

There is not much difference in the overall silhouette between the men's size and the women's size, but the women's size has a silhouette that is more suited to the female body type, such as the length and sleeve length.

Please refer to the size chart below for details.

*Please note that there may be an error of ±1cm in the finished product size.

Size Guide [Men]

Size Guide [Women]

Wear Variations

Collaborator

Collaborateur introduces you to the people who produce these products.

The factory that produces RIDGE MOUNTAIN GEAR shirts is Fashion Kobo Kuroishi Ltd.

Fashion Workshop Kuroishi is a factory located in Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture, with around 50 employees. It was established in 2003.

This factory specializes in sewing shirts, and produces about 60,000 shirts a year for well-known domestic manufacturers.

Each factory has its own characteristics, such as factories that specialize in shirts, factories that specialize in pants, and factories that specialize in cut and sew clothing.

As the saying goes, "let the experts do it," so we leave each item to the factories that specialize in it.
Conversely, they often point out things that we as a manufacturer have not noticed, which can lead to improved quality.

I love making things and of course I love making them myself, but I also love production sites like this.
Sometimes we are asked, "Does sewing in a factory mean that everything is done by machine?" But that is not the case. Even now, there are many steps that go into the final product, and many people are involved in each step.

President Watanabe-san is on the shop floor every day, working with his hands, operating the sewing machine and ironing.
On this day, we had the opportunity to chat briefly with them in between producing RIDGE MOUNTAIN GEAR products.

Anyone who has held our product in their hands will be able to see for themselves that the quality of the stitching is second to none.

The staff and I were told that they study hard every day to sew and finish the products beautifully. This is no lie, and they always produce beautiful products.

"They used these amazing materials from somewhere."
Like, "It was made in this amazing factory somewhere."
Like

I hope that sewing factories can become a brand in their own right.

Fashion Studio Kuroishi Ltd.
42-2 Uemachi, Kuroishi City, Aomori Prefecture

Attention

If you take care of this product with the following points, you can use it for a long time.

- Use a neutral detergent when washing.
・Turn the product inside out, place it in a laundry net and wash it alone.
- Water temperature should be limited to 40°C. Avoid washing with hot water.
-Please avoid tumble drying.