What kind of ideas are used to create the products of HERENESS? In this installment of "THIS IS HOW WE CREATE," we share with you how our products come to life. In this fourth installment, we will share the newest additions to our product lineup, the MOUNTAIN WOOL SHIRT and MOUNTAIN WOOL SHORTS, which seamlessly connect the mountains and the city, in a virtual Q&A session!

Q.A shirt and shorts set-up that seamlessly connects the mountains and the city. What was the inspiration for its development?

The MOUNTAIN WOOL SHIRT and MOUNTAIN WOOL SHORTS set-up is made of a mix of wool and polyester. We wanted to expand our range of wool products beyond our standard SMOOTH WOOL T-SHIRT and FLUFFY WOOL SOCKS, and the manufacturer suggested to us that they had a fabric that would be perfect for HERENESS.

It was a fabric woven with a blend of 66% wool and 34% polyester. When I heard about the characteristics of this fabric and actually touched it, I knew I wanted to make a shirt that could be used in the mountains.

We immediately had a sample of the shirt made, and after testing it, we decided that with this fabric, we would make a set-up, which is how it came to be. Since we were also developing the UNDERCURRENT JACKET at the same time, we decided on a jacket and long pants set-up for that one, and a shirt and shorts style for this one.

Q.So the item was born from the fabric? Could you tell us specifically about the characteristics of the fabric?

In a word, it is a good combination of wool and polyester. In addition to being comfortable to wear, wool has excellent heat-regulating and odor-absorbing properties. By mixing polyester with it, it becomes more durable and dries more quickly than 100% wool. The polyester is made from a partially plant-derived material called Solotex®︎. It is characterized by its resistance to losing its shape and wrinkling, and its texture is soft. It does not wrinkle easily when you take off what you are wearing and put it in your backpack while climbing a mountain. Since it also has the functionality of wool, we think it will be useful in situations where you want to reduce the amount of clothes you need to carry, such as long-duration traverse mountaineering trips.

Q.What are the key points that you focused on as HERENESS mountain wear?

I felt the fabric itself had a lot of potential, so I decided to make the most of its features, and the rest was the silhouette and details. I had the impression that many conventional mountain shirts had a rather tight silhouette, but this shirt has a looser silhouette so that it can be worn as street wear as well. Rather than just making it larger, we lengthened the length of the shirt so that the back hem does not slide up when the wearer carries a pack on his back. We kept the design as simple as possible by eliminating the breast pocket and concealing the buttons with a winged design. We also used snap buttons to make it easier to put on and take off when wearing gloves in the mountains during the winter.

The shorts give the impression of being lightweight for a zdong and thick silhouette. Compared to the standard SUGARCANE SHORTS, the MOUNTAIN WOOL SHORTS material does not stretch as much, so the dimensions are adjusted slightly. The material of the pockets is also all mesh and more minimalistic than SUGARCANE SHORTS.

Q.Who would you like to wear it, and in what places?

People who enjoy casual activities such as a quick day trip to the mountains. People who enjoy a lifestyle of going back and forth between the city and the mountains. People who like to dress for mountain climbing, but don't feel like they're just going to climb a mountain.

It has a city-like design, but it's totally comfortable even if you go to the mountains. Even though it has a minimalist look, it has all the functionality needed for outdoor activities, so I would recommend it to those who already have a mountain shirt.

The pants are short, so I think it would be a good idea to have the wearer wear tights when it is chilly. We recommend having the previously released SMOOTH WOOL TIGHTS to go with them. These tights are also made of the same wool + Solotex® material. We have a complete line of wool products including T-shirts, shirts, pants, tights, and socks, so you can have a comfortable HERENESS wool coordinate even in the mountains!