Studio D’Artisan SD-1001E 15oz GL3 Selvedge Denim Ecru

The SD-1001 GL3 Ecru from Studio D’Artisan is a rare interpretation of traditional Japanese denim, built on the legendary Toyoda GL3 shuttle loom, one of the first automatic shuttle looms ever produced in Japan. In this ecru version, the denim focuses entirely on the raw cotton fiber, fully revealing the exceptional structure of the weave without the influence of indigo dye.

Features

• 100% cotton / 15oz
• One wash
• Regular Straight fit
• Selvedge denim woven on vintage Toyoda GL3 shuttle loom
• Highly pronounced irregular slub texture
• Original Studio D’Artisan 4-button fly
• Engraved copper rivets
• Back pockets lined with duck canvas
• “DARTISAN” logo embroidered on coin pocket
• Embroidered back pockets
• Goat leather patch
• Chainstitch construction
• Made in Japan

Description

The Toyoda GL3 Automatic Loom, developed over 50 years ago, was Japan’s first automatic shuttle loom. Today, it has become a living archive: no replacement parts are produced anymore, and any repair requires salvaging components from decommissioned machines. This fragile maintenance process makes every GL3 loom rare, delicate, and highly valuable.

Its production speed is extremely slow — approximately 5 meters of fabric per hour. This intentionally inefficient rhythm stands in direct contrast to modern industrial weaving. Yet it is precisely this slowness that creates a truly unique denim: raw, irregular, and deeply textured, evoking mid-20th-century workwear garments.

To fully express the potential of this historic loom, Studio D’Artisan developed a custom-made fabric, designed as a true textile recipe. From yarn thickness and slub structure to warp and weft density, every parameter is carefully adjusted to highlight the natural irregularities of the GL3 weave.

The result is a denim that cannot be standardized: no two pairs are exactly alike. The surface reveals visible variations, an uneven texture, and a raw character that high-speed looms simply cannot replicate. It is this controlled imperfection that defines the richness of GL3 denim.

In this Ecru version, the absence of indigo dye further emphasizes the structure of the cotton itself. The fabric becomes a pure reading of the fiber: a denim without added color, where only material and weave define its identity. A radical approach that places textile expression at the very center of the experience.

Fit & Sizing

• Regular Straight (SD-1001) fit
• Comfortable mid-rise
• Classic straight leg
• Timeless workwear silhouette
• Dense fabric that softens with wear
• We recommend taking your usual size

Why We Selected It

We selected this model for its radical approach to raw denim and its construction on the historic Toyoda GL3 loom. In its Ecru version, the jeans highlight the material in its purest form, without any dyeing process. Between slow production, intentionally irregular weaving, and rich texture, it embodies a vision of denim centered on craft and fiber rather than color. An essential piece to understand Studio D’Artisan’s work at its most textile-driven level.