WORKERS Cotton Relax Cardigan, Fade Black
BRAND & PRODUCT
About the Brand and Product
WORKERS Cotton Relax Cardigan
WORKERS is a menswear manufacturer based in Okayama. The brand creates clothing based on thorough research into vintage wear, with a focus on workwear, traditional styles, and military gear. The founder personally studies authentic vintage pieces, visits the original manufacturers and existing buildings from the era they were made to research archival materials, and uses precise pattern-making to translate them into garments that are easy to wear in the modern day.
It looks like a sweater, but it's actually a cotton cut-and-sew.
The best part is that it looks like a sweater but can be washed without hesitation.
The body is made of extra-thick jersey (tenjiku). While the knitting method is the same as a T-shirt, we feed multiple ultra-thick yarns into the needles to achieve the thickness of a low-gauge sweater.
This year, we went with non-brushed jersey. While brushing definitely adds warmth, it makes it easier for the shirt worn underneath to get caught. Naturally, it also increases production costs. Unlike a sweatshirt (fleece-backed) which has a three-layer structure, jersey is a single-layer structure using only the face yarn. If it's brushed too much, the strength decreases, but if it's not brushed enough, you can't tell the difference.
After much deliberation, we decided to make it without brushing this year. The result... well, you can't tell the difference unless you compare it to the brushed version. I wonder what all that struggle was for...
We’ve significantly changed the pattern for this cardigan from the last iteration. The size M has a body width of over 60cm for a relaxed fit, but it tapers towards the hem for a "cocoon" silhouette.
If you increase the body width and just let it fall straight, the hem area can feel loose and flapping. I considered adding ribs, but that would make it too tight and lose the relaxed feel. When I was worrying about this, I saw a women's cocoon silhouette and thought, "This is it!" and decided to adopt it.
It pairs well with a shirt underneath, but you can get an even more relaxed look with our 2 PLY Off Turtle. We also deliberately omitted cuffs to reduce that snagging feeling on the sleeves. By "tapering" the dimensions towards the wrist, we've adjusted it so it doesn't flap around even without cuffs.
"This part feels loose," or "This gets caught when I put it on"—we solve these types of issues specifically through specifications and pattern lines, whether it's by changing the ribbing or the pattern itself. Then, we create the form and reconsider what kind of "sensation" it gives.
WORKERS’ clothing creation is an endless repetition of this process. Since it starts with a "sensation," it changes with the times, as well as with my own age and physique. That’s why the specifications and patterns I once thought were the "correct" ones sometimes change.
STAFF VOICE
Staff Comments
Ichimura / 175cm / 75kg
I am wearing size L.
This is a cardigan made from the same fabric as Workers' classic cotton sweater, a staple for the autumn/winter season.
It looks great paired with both cut-and-sew tops and shirts, and since the material is cotton, it's very easy to wear without worrying about it, making it a model I reach for very often.
In early autumn, it works as an outer layer, and when it gets colder, you can easily wear another outer layer on top of it.
It's easy to wash and overall just a highly recommended, convenient cardigan to have.