The ONI Denim 274 Awa Natural Indigo Jeans represent the absolute pinnacle of ONI’s craftsmanship—an extraordinary denim created through handwork, time, and traditional Japanese dyeing techniques that can no longer be replicated at scale. Produced over approximately 18 months in collaboration with the Awa Shōai Kōbō indigo workshop in Tokushima Prefecture, this fabric stands as one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by ONI.

The warp yarns are hand-dyed using Awa natural indigo, Japan’s most revered indigo tradition, at a cultural heritage dyeing workshop in Tokushima. Each hank is dyed by hand, allowing the indigo to penetrate unevenly and organically into the cotton fibers. Unlike rope-dyed yarns, this process creates soft tonal variation and subtle vertical striping that emerges only when hand-dyed yarns are woven. These yarns are then woven on extremely old antique shuttle looms, where low-tension weaving preserves the irregularity and depth of the yarn, producing a texture that simply cannot be achieved on modern looms or even vintage G3 shuttle looms.

The result is a 20oz slubby denim with remarkable dimensionality—dense yet alive, heavy yet expressive. The surface reveals complex indigo shading with natural highs and lows, while the fabric promises slow, graceful fading that reflects both the hand of the artisan and the passage of time. Every wear brings out new character rather than sharp contrast, making this denim more about depth than drama.

This model is cut in ONI’s Regular Straight silhouette, offering a balanced and timeless shape with a comfortable rise and room throughout the leg. It’s a versatile cut that allows the fabric to take center stage—classic, wearable, and perfectly suited to such a special textile.

Details are kept purposeful and authentic: original ONI donut buttons, punched copper rivets, a cowhide leather patch, and clean white selvedge. Each pair is one-washed for stability while preserving the integrity of the fabric.

Production was extremely limited due to the difficulty of working with hand-dyed natural indigo and ONI’s uncompromising quality standards. Only 186 pairs were produced, each individually serial-numbered, making this a true collector’s piece and one of the rarest ONI denims ever released.

Fit Notes: These jeans have a standard sizing. We recommend choosing your usual size. However, as always, we recommend checking the size chart first to find your perfect size. The fabric is unsanforized, but the jeans have been one-washed, so no further shrinkage is expected. The waist will experience the typical stretching seen in ONI denim due to the low tension weave, although not as much as the secret denim. Expect approximately 1 inches of stretching.