Dysun, a knitwear manufacturer and supporter of Motohiro Tanji’s collection, started in-house production of its sewing process from 2001.

Today, 95% of its manufacturing is carried out internally. “Our subcontracting factories and sideline work staff continue aging,” says Mr. Mishina, Dysun President. “We decided to opt for in-house production to hand down the skills that we cultivated to our younger workers.”

Besides its move towards internal manufacturing, Dysun also makes an effort to pass on its technological skills. By having employees fully engage in the manufacturing process and a system that allows workers to complete a product in a first-hand manner, Dysun allows their staff to acquire skills while experiencing the joy of product-making. The company is also active in recruiting new college graduates, and half of its employees are in their 20s.

Dysun’s undertakings are spreading to the process of yarn dyeing as well. In recent years, they have been making an effort to develop knitwear with natural plant dyes using persimmon peels or peach tree branches discarded during the course of producing Fukushima’s local-made food and goods.

“Our aim is to manufacture products that are rooted in our local community; unique works that we can manufacture as a factory based in Japan,” Mr. Mishina says, demonstrating Dysun’s devotion to product-making.

Perhaps the encounter between Dysun and Mr. Tanji, designer of the Motohiro Tanji brand, is a fruit of such a devotion to manufacturing. Mr. Tanji visits Dysun’s factory himself every season with a drawing in hand, and he and Dysun develop the final fabric together after a series of discussions. “Not many designers can compete with Motohiro when it comes to knowledge on knitwear,” say Mr. Mishina and Manager Kitsunai happily. “That’s why we can focus on the product’s details.”

When asked about Dysun’s allure, Mr. Tanji described it as the company’s ability to deliver fabrics that perfectly portray the vision he had in mind. Dysun and Motohiro Tanji have formed an ideal factory-designer partnership – they both know about knitwear from the inside out, and this allows for a perfect harmony to weave forms of beauty.