Japanese “cardboard knit” fabric
Let’s go over Japanese bonded knit fabric. (Is it time to be writing about AW fabrics now for next year?) I know some brands and/or designers work a year in advanced so if you are searching on ApparelX and come across sample cards with the words “mochi mochi” written on it, this is the article to read.
Japanese is famous for using onamonapias in our daily conversations, using sounds to express texture and feeling and “mochi mochi” is one of them. As some of you may know, “mochi” is a chewy japanese food, made from mochi rice (chewier than regular white rice). Maybe the most common in the states being the mochi ice cream? We say “mochi mochi” when something is chewy or has that squishy feelings with stretch, sticky, and/or resistance.
The “mochi mochi” on the sample cards describes the feel of the fabric, and in the case of Takisada Nagoya, is used in the names of their bonded knit fabrics. The word “mochi mochi” is non-official, but the industry term directly translated to english is “cardboard knit” referring to the structure. Let’s get into the details below!
The secret to its chewy texture is bonded knit (“cardboard knit”)
It is made by joining two pieces of fabric together with thread, just like cardboard. If the joining is done with glue, it is called bonding. If you force open a piece of bonded knit by inserting a fingernail or needle into the cut surface, you will be able to see the connecting threads.
The double-layered fabric structure traps a layer of air, making it easier to keep the temperature inside the garment constant, so it provides excellent heat retention despite being made of a light fabric.
This layer of air also results in quick drying.
It is perfect for voluminous silhouettes and casual items, simply because it is thick, it is firm, wrinkle-resistant, and has shape memory.
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Sorry, this is not a bonded knit fabric, but I’m putting it in here because it was squishy…
This extra-thick pile is made by embedding thick ~1mm yarns into a polyurethane-blended base fabric. This creates an incredible elasticity with 360-degree stretch.
Takisada Nagoya has plenty of fabric, and not just the bonded knit, but a wide variety. You can check out their page on ApparelX here!
ApparelX is a BtoB ecommerce platform for brands, tailors and the like to order from small MOQs from a variety of manufacturers in one order. And we ship worldwide!
Check out our FAQ page, Youtube, and LinkedIn if you have basic questions or looking to stay connected.
If you are looking to bulk order, custom order, or have any other questions, contact us through our contact form and a member on the Global Strategy Team will get back to you within the next business day. (Please understand that we are based in Japan and our office hours are 9am-6pm so we are only able to answer during that time).
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