The story of TCB Jeans began in Kojima in 2007, when Hajime Inoue, then 27 years old, decided to establish his own sewing factory. A lifelong enthusiast of vintage jeans and concerned about the disappearance of local manufacturing skills, he initially worked alone, surrounded by around ten sewing machines in his workshop.
After several years producing garments for other brands, TCB Jeans truly took shape in 2012 with the creation of its first original pair of jeans. Since then, the brand has studied American workwear from different decades — jeans, denim jackets, coveralls and other utilitarian garments — using vintage originals, including pieces from its own archives, as references.
TCB takes this approach to reproduction particularly far. Its selvedge fabrics are developed in Japan to recreate the weight, texture and, above all, the ageing characteristics of period denim. Depending on the model, the brand notably uses Zimbabwe cotton, as seen in its iconic 50’s Jeans, whose 13.5 oz fabric is designed to reproduce the irregularities and fading characteristics of 1950s denim.
Cutting and sewing take place at TCB’s own factory in Kojima, where the brand’s craftspeople work with a collection of vintage machinery, including machines dating from the 1950s and 1960s. Different machines are selected for specific operations in order to reproduce the seams and details found on original garments. Factory, shop and offices are all located under the same roof, making TCB a genuine factory brand, proud to show who makes its clothing and how it is produced.
The name TCB officially stands for “Taking Care of Business”, although Hajime Inoue also likes the interpretation “Two Cats Brand”, referring to the two cats he owned when establishing the company and which continue to appear throughout the brand’s patches and graphic identity.
More than simply recreating a vintage aesthetic, TCB seeks to reproduce the construction, atmosphere and, above all, the way historic American workwear aged through use. Historical reproductions made in Kojima to be worn every day and, in turn, develop a story of their own.
To find out more: TCB Jeans: History & Introduction
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