Among the fabrics from the Japanese fabric brand "Shuttle Notes," my absolute Favourites is this cotton-wool felted fabric. I've used it for various items like coats and skirts, but this winter I decided to make a top in it that resembles a sweatshirt. This fabric uses cotton for the warp threads and wool for the weft threads, and is loosely woven like gauze. By washing it in hot water and shrinking it, it achieves a unique felt-like texture and lightness. This fabric is highly regarded not only by me but also in America and Europe, but it turns out that it was originally a failed experiment. When soaping (the process of washing away unfixed dyes and dirt) the cotton-wool fabric, the time was set incorrectly, resulting in the fabric shrinking to about half its original size. However, the resulting texture was so lovely that they repeatedly adjusted the weave and compression time until they were able to commercialize it. Sixteen years have passed since that story of its creation, but it still retains its timeless appeal. The company that sews this beloved fabric for me is Ochi So Co., Ltd., which has a factory in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture. Ochi So is a long-established sewing manufacturer founded in 1951, and they meticulously handle everything from cutting to ironing. We will continue to find and introduce masterpieces created by Japanese craftsmen.