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Tag Archives: cotton canvas

Distant Klash and Fenom Kimonos Collaboration

22 Friday Nov 2019

Posted by fenomkimonos in Gis for Women and Girls, Women's BJJ

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Tags

bjj, champion, collaboration, cotton canvas, distant klash, DK, fenom kimonos, jiu-jitsu for women, pearl weave plus, women's gis, women's wrestling

Two women-owned apparel brands, Distant Klash and Fenom Kimonos, partnered up to bring you a limited edition women’s gi design for this holiday shopping season. Distant Klash was founded in 2016 by Kelly Kusumoto, a Bay area native, 2008 California HS Women’s Wrestling State Champion and an artist. We loved her wrestling inspired minimalist style designs so much that we approached her with the idea of designing a gi. Kelly was very happy to collaborate with us and the final product is outstanding.

The collaboration gi jacket is made of 550 gsm pearl weave plus fabric and has beautiful, blue and white embroidery on both sleeves, lapel, back and front. Pants are made of soft, brushed canvas and feature over-sized embroidery on the right thigh. The gi has blue contrast stitching, decorative tape inside the jacket and comes with a custom nylon drawstring cord. This is a limited edition gi: a perfect gift for someone special who loves neutral colors and cute, comic inspired design. We asked Distant Klash owner and creator Kelly Kusumoto to talk a little bit about her art, wrestling, and how her company came about. Read below and happy shopping!

Fenom Distant Klash Collaboration Gi
Fenom Distant Klash Collaboration Gi
Distant Klash Fenom Gi
Distant Klash Fenom Gi
Fenom DK Pearl Weave Plus Gi
Fenom DK Pearl Weave Plus Gi

Why wrestling? What attracted you to wrestling? Do you have any other athletes in your immediate family?

Growing up, my mom put me in a variety of sports such as tennis, soccer, basketball, gymnastics and swimming. But at the time I saw sports mainly as an activity and not so much as a passion. While I was in middle school I began training in a Japanese form of karate called Shorinji Kempo and quickly became excited by it. It was fun, but more importantly it felt like I could communicate with someone very directly without actually having to use words.

However, one issue that I had while doing Shorinji was finding sparring partners. Older members found me too forceful and kids my age would avoid me for the same reason. At the end of the year they would hold a ceremony where they gave awards and recognition to people who had improved and had done well throughout the year. As a little joke they gave a an award for “Most Aggressive Sparring”. I was super excited to be positively acknowledged for being strong. It was a very proud moment for me.

When I reached high school a friend who was on the wrestling team encouraged me to join. At first I wasn’t very receptive of the idea, but eventually I decided to do it. I saw it mostly as a way to expand upon the martial arts I knew at that time, like learning new words in a language.

My first practice was during the summer after freshman year and I found myself in a very new environment. There were a lot of things I had to adjust to. I was thrown into a world where I was pushing my conditioning and strength training to an extreme. I had to learn how to handle being in an environment where all my training partners were boys. Perhaps the most difficult part was just being around people who did not know me and did not want to wrestle a girl. I found myself feeling a bit isolated and lost. Despite those challenges I stayed focused on the training and I felt that this was the environment I could learn to thrive in. It gave me a chance to fully express my aggressive energy without any restrictions.

In terms of having athletes in the family, my dad’s side of the family practiced judo but I was never taught any. Instead, my dad loved to roughhouse with me as his way of interacting and playing with me. I feel that as a result of those play sessions I began to associate the idea of fun with activities that were very physical.

You became a state champion in California. How did you achieve it? What is life like for a wrestler?

As a student athlete my practices would go until early evening. I did not get home until 6 or 6:30. By the time I got home and washed up, there were only a few hours left to eat, do homework and prepare for the next day. Even simple things like staying awake during class was difficult because I was so exhausted from practice.

The greatest impact wrestling left on me was how to control my diet. Growing up I knew that junk food was bad, but I did not really care about my health. With wrestling I began to refrain from eating junk food. I quickly learned that it was not practical to eat before practice unless I was okay feeling sick and sluggish during practice. I just started to be more careful about what I ate and how frequently. Often times I struggled to eat enough calories because it felt like I was burning more than what I could actually consume.

On a weekly basis practice was after school for three hours, five days a week. Once the season got going there would be a tournament every Saturday. In my first few years of wrestling I was so bad that I would try to do extra drills at night. I was quite desperate to improve so I also practiced visualizing to try to perfect the moves I had learned.

I think what added to my desperation was being the only girl on the team. I wrestled with boys exclusively so I did not have a sense of how my skill level measured against girls. In my first year I went to a few tournaments at the JV level with boys and barely won any matches. I decided that during off season I would hit the gym to become physically stronger.

By junior and senior year I was beginning to feel more even with the boys and I was slowly gaining some confidence. During my senior year I decided to go to more girl tournament and after having wrestled with boys for so long I found myself doing very well in the girls’ division. I placed 1st in almost all of them.

At the girls’ state tournament I was very nervous and did not perform as well as I usually did. I could not pin anyone and was feeling really anxious. By the time I made it to the finals I was really getting nervous. I got caught in a head and arm throw and was very close to getting pinned. The realization that I might lose snapped me back into a better head space and I ended up winning the finals.

Do you still go to your old high school to coach kids?

I used to coach only at my high school but I have expanded my reach to go to any high school with female wrestlers. If they ask me to come and help, I will do anything I can to make time for them. I feel like I can relate to the struggles that these girls are going through because of my experience as a girl wrestler. I understand their frustrations and do my best to lead by example. I know that it is also very comforting for them because sometimes it is difficult to discuss gender specific issues with a male coach.

In college you decided to quit wrestling and focus on graphic design. What prompted that decision?

During my childhood I drew a lot and wanted to purse art in college. However, I was also excited about wrestling and wanted to see how far I could take it. I finally landed on the decision to go wrestle on a woman’s team at the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky and pursue an Arts degree there.

However, within a few months I was starting to feel very unsatisfied with both the wrestling and the art program. The wrestling program had a lot of problems but simply put, I did not like the coaching. I did not feel challenged and was starting to get very homesick. To make matters worse, the art program was also very weak. It felt like a high school program and I could see that this was not the right path for me.

I wanted to get out of Kentucky as soon as possible so I left after my first semester. I came back completely broken. I felt like I had disappointed a lot of people and did not know where to go next. I ended up going to a community college where my coach was teaching at. I was able to wrestle under him for one more season. Once again I was wrestling among all boys. Wrestling in college was even more difficult than high school but it was a great experience that washed away all the bad memories from the Cumberlands. I decided to let wrestling go and just focus on art. I got my associates degree and transferred to an art college in San Francisco.

Talk a little bit about your brand. How did you develop such a cool minimalist style? Where did the name come from?

During my time in school I learned how to design logos. Logo design is really different from traditional illustration in that everything is purely symbolic. The goal is to create a design that conveys a lot of information using as few lines and shapes as possible. I got the hang of this pretty quickly and really loved the impact and strength of a clean minimalist design.

I made the first DK design of the two boys in a wrestling stance several years after I graduated college. It actually took me a while to figure out how to draw it because it is very difficult to simplify human movements. As I was drawing it, I began to realize why there were so few wrestling designs that were available. It is really hard because it requires making a lot of design choices for the size and placement of each body part.

However once I was done I was very excited and so relieved. I felt like I was able to accurately depict who I was. All this time I had been going back and forth between my identity as an artist who likes cute things, and as a wrestler who loved to be tough. It almost felt like I was living a double life but now the two worlds could merge together

At this point in my life I had graduated college and I was no longer a part of any wrestling team. I still had a lot of nostalgia lingering from my wrestling days. I think many alumni wrestlers like myself struggle with a lack of identity when they no longer have the time or place to wrestle. The wrestler inside of us never really goes away, so the name Distant Klash was born as a reflection of what wrestling means to me now: a fight from the past, a “distant clash”.

I want it also to represent the younger generation who work hard and train for their next fight. I always feel honored when I am allowed to be a part of their journey to becoming the best wrestler they can be. For them, their wrestling career is still alive and strong and their future is a soon to be “distant clash”.

What are you plans for DK future?

Although DK currently focuses on martial arts, I would love to expand out to other sports. Wrestling is my favorite sport but I have a deep appreciation for all types of movement whether it be in dance, sports or any other physical endeavor. Movement is one of many ways people express themselves and I want to create art that allows people to see that.

Even personally speaking, the wrestling designs I made have allowed me to share my passion for wrestling in a way that overrides any preconceived ideas they may hold. When I tell them that I wrestle, I can tell them what it is really like and how it has positively impacted me. It may seem like a small change but I definitely feel much more confident when I can openly express who I am. I want to be able to extend this feeling to other athletes who may also be in the same predicament.

Gi Weaves 102: Single Weave Gi and Double Weave Gi Mystery

17 Sunday Jun 2018

Posted by fenomkimonos in Gis for Women and Girls, Products, Women's Gis

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

bjj gi, brushed baby canvas, chess weave, cotton canvas, diamond weave, double weave, fenom kimonos, judo gi, plain weave, sashiko weave, single weave, single weave vs double weave gis, women's bjj

Our article, Gi Weaves 101, has become one of the most viewed blog post and continues to be a great resource for anyone in the market for a new women’s BJJ gi. Since we get a lot of questions about single weave and double weave gis, we decided  to do a write-up about new fabrics we are using; what single weave and double weave fabrics are, and how to tell the difference between those two.

SASHIKO WEAVE or RICE GRAIN WEAVE is the most commonly misnamed fabric by jiu-jitsu bloggers and gi reviewers. A great deal of sources call it a single weave. Sashiko weave can be single or double weave. As a matter of fact, any fabric can be single or double weave, depending on if there is only one layer of fabric or if there are two layers of fabric that are interconnected. In a single weave fabric a set of weft (horizontal yarn) and a set of warp (vertical yarn) are interlaced together in different patterns. The pattern of the warp and weft is called the weave of the fabric. In a double weave, a fabric should contain two detectable weave structures, two layers, which are connected to one another in some way. Below are some photos to illustrate the difference between single and double weave.

Single weave on top, double weave on bottom.
Single weave on top, double weave on bottom.
Single weave vs double weave thickness.
Single weave vs double weave thickness.

 

Single weave fabric on top, double weave on the bottom.
Single weave fabric on top, double weave on the bottom.
Single weave fabric has one layer, double weave fabric can be pulled apart to show two layers.
Single weave fabric has one layer, double weave fabric can be pulled apart to show two layers.

Sashiko weave has been used for judo gis for decades, it’s readily available and much more reasonably priced than pearl weave. It can be light weight 350-550 gsm single weave to 750-950 gsm double weave,  the options are endless. A lot of jiu-jitsu gis in sashiko weave are in light weight category, very affordable and considered a good starter gi. However, cheaper gis shrink quite a bit, so sizing can be tricky.

More expensive double weave gis have controlled shrinkage due to extensive pre-treatment but those are not common in BJJ scene. Double weave gi sleeves are very difficult to grab, they are thick and rigid. The whole gi set weighs twice as much as a single weave gi. Most BJJ hobbyists don’t ever experience a double weave gi unless they cross train at a judo dojo and get their grips on an International Judo Federation approved competition gi. So, if you are buying a jiu-jitsu gi and the description is 350-550 gsm weave (pearl or any others), you are getting a single weave gi. 

CHESS WEAVE combines plain weave with Sashiko weave to form a chess board look. Plain weave is the most common and basic weave where weft yarn passes over and under warp yarn alternately. Chess weave fabric feels softer than pearl weave but not as soft as crystal weave. It feels light-weight and does not stretch out excessively. It is a great addition to any gi collection if you are getting bored with pearl weave. Colored gis in chess weave will look more textured and dramatic after a while as the raised squares fade at a different rate than the flat squares. This is not better than any other fabric; it simply has a captivating look.

DIAMOND WEAVE or diamond pattern Sashiko weave fabric is widely used in judo and is not new in the market. It is mostly used for the skirt part of the judo gi but can be made into a BJJ gi. The lightweight but sturdy plain weave or twill weave is combined with diamond pattern in Sashiko weave. Sashiko yarn direction is horizontal which makes the fabric stronger to withstand the stretching and pulling. The fabric feels light and airy, does not shrink excessively and is comfortable on skin. It has a unique textured look that should become popular in jiu-jitsu because of its affordability and availability.

Canvas or Cotton Duck is a popular fabric choise for workwear, tote bags, beach umbrellas, awnings and is the base for the best oil paintings. It is a plain woven fabric that is sturdy, dense and extremely durable. Cotton duck or duck is the correct name for the fabric but people outside of textile industry call it canvas. Canvas, especially heavy-duty canvas, is not a popular choice for gi pants. The fabric is very stiff and full length, double layer reinforcement makes the pants twice as heavy as rip stop pants. The pants will last for years if you have the patience to wear them and put up with the stiff, slightly uncomfortable fabric. Canvas will soften up a little over time but it will never be as comfortable as cotton drill. Customers have very strong feelings about these pants; they are serious nail rippers, you cannot get a grip without hurting your hands.

Brushed canvas looks just like canvas but feels like cotton drill. The  fabric has been treated and brushed on both sides so the stiffness you experience with canvas has been eliminated. The best way to describe the feel of this fabric is to think of a flannel shirt, it’s that comfy. Of all the fabric choices for pants, this has to be our new favorite. Brushed canvas is comfortable but does not stretch out as much as cotton drill, very soft yet sturdy and there is no unexpected shrinkage. So far it has been very well received by customers and we hope to add more brushed canvas pants in different colors to our product line.

No matter what fabric you prefer, it is important to take good care of your gi . Read more about gi care and stain removal here.

Gi Weaves 101

27 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by fenomkimonos in Gis for Women and Girls, Products

≈ 29 Comments

Tags

cotton canvas, cotton drill, crystal weave, fenom kimonos, gis for women, gold weave, pearl weave, pearl weave plus, rip stop

womancallingWe get a lot of calls asking which one is our lightest gi, and what is the difference between weaves. When talking about the weight of the fabric, textile industry uses gsm, grams per square meter, measurement. This however is rather meaningless to the consumers who will never test the material for gsm. It is easier to use the weight of the full gi set, jacket and pants, when choosing a gi.

Our women’s gis range from 2 lbs 8 oz for an A0 to 4 lbs for an A4. The minor differences in weights between different gis can be contributed to the design elements: pants loops, cord or flat drawstring, collar thickness, extra embroidery, and variances that happen in cutting and sewing. Half an inch extra in jacket or sleeve length as well as added reinforcements, patches, and decorative tape can add some extra weight.

The trend in the gi industry over the past 5 years has been towards light weight gis. The lightest gis we have seen are 350 gsm, and the heaviest are 1150 gsm (samples only). A consumer needs to remember that the smaller the gsm number, the lighter the gi. Proper sizing is the key to feeling good about your gi. It is equally uncomfortable to train in a too small or too big gi no matter how light weight it is.

Sometimes the same weight material in different weaves feels lighter or heavier, and the gis feel like they are not the exact same size or fit. Also the expectation of having different weave gis behave the same way in washing and drying can be disappointing. If you are used to shrink to fit kind of gi that you can manipulate a lot, and then buy a pearl weave gi which does not shrink down a size, you may be upset “because it is not the same size” and vice versa. There are no bad materials, it is all about personal preference, and hard to measure feel factor.

Here is a list of materials we have used either in production or for sample gis. The short description may help you in the process of choosing your next gi.

PEARL WEAVE is the most popular weave on the market. Majority of the gis are 450-550 gsm but we have made our kids gis as light as 390 gsm. Pearl weave is tight woven, coarse, and at times can be super rough, and unpleasant on grips especially when wet. Most pearl weave gis are about 96% pre-shrunk, but some are close to 99% pre-shrunk. The gis are durable, dry fast, and feel light. Some pearl weaves stay rough, and stiff with air drying, almost like an armor. Pearl weave has very little pilling, and does not stretch out as much as softer weaves.

pearl weave

GOLD WEAVE used to be very popular about a decade ago. Gold weave has been replaced by pearl weave but old school jiu-jitsu peeps are familiar with this weave. If you started training in the past few years, you probably do not own a gold weave gi. Gold weave gis are slowly coming back to the market. The material feels soft and airy due to the looser weave. It feels sturdy but light at the same time. Gold weave gi lasts for years and years, and gets softer and over time. Well worn gold weave gi is as comfortable as a pair of pajamas. Older gis feel heavier because heavy-duty canvas reinforcements were added to all stitching lines. Gold weave is not the most attractive weave, its looks a little like a kitchen towel.

gold weave

CRYSTAL WEAVE is the material we have been using since 2009. Crystal weave gis are our most popular gis because of the softness of the material. This weave looks like a woven basket, and is very loose. It also moves a lot, and is easy to grab. At the same time, it is comfy and gentle on the skin, no gi burns ever! It feels thicker because of the fluffy look but in reality is light weight as well. Crystal weave shrinks more than pearl weave but can be stretched out when wet. Pulling the sleeves and sides straight after every wash is required in order to maintain the size. Some pilling happens but it does not interfere with the functionality of the gi.

crystal weave

PEARL WEAVE PLUS is a new weave we added to our product line this year. The pattern looks like rows of diamond cut rope chain necklaces side by side. Shoyoroll calls it Pearl Weave Pro, Killer Bee Kimonos calls it New “KillerBee” Weave. We are pretty sure other companies have different names for it, since it is very new to the market, and everyone wants to claim that it is their special weave. Pearl Weave Plus feels like a softer version of pearl weave, just a little bit different look. It holds up well in washes, and has no unexpected shrinkage.

pearl weaveplus

HONEYCOMB WEAVE gets its name from the partial resemblance to the hexagonal honey comb cells. This weave forms ridges and hollows that gives a cell like appearance to the texture. It is a soft material but does not stretch out too much. It breathes well, dries fast, and feels super airy and thin. We have just ran samples in this weave, and have not made a final decision whether or not to add this material to our gi line. Honeycomb weave feels somewhat like a waffle bath robe you would get in a fancy spa or a hotel.

honeycomb

Cotton Drill was once the only material used for gi pants. In the recent years ripstop pants have slowly pushed drill pants out but this material is still preferred by many martial artists. It is strong, heavily textured with its signature diagonal ribs, and lasts for a long time. Cotton drill pants shrink more in length than in width but the shrinkage can be managed by stretching the pants out after washing. The pants are super comfortable but may feel heavy when wet. The knees may stretch out while rolling and the after-training baggy look is not appreciated by gi snoobs.

drill

Ripstop is a very light weight, and strong material. Most ripstop pants on the market are 100% cotton, but some gi makers offer cotton/polyester combination which has a waxy, parachute feel to them. Ripstop material has reinforcement threads woven in 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm intervals, giving the fabric its distinctive 3D, square pattern. Even though ripstop pants are very durable, the name can be deceiving. Ripstop pants do rip at the stress points when they are a size or two too small, and wear out on the knees over time. Fitted or slim cut pants tend to stick to the skin when wet, and constant adjustment during training is distracting. Ripstop pants are preferred in hot weather training and in competition. Both ripstop and drill pants cost the same to manufacture.

ripstop

Second part of the series on new weaves, single weave gis and double weave gis can be found here.

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