The cold winds have begun to grow harsh, but winter is filled with charms that can only be savored during this season—the sunlight that wraps us in warmth, the blue sky growing ever more vivid, and so much more.
Once you put on some warm clothing and take a step outside, there is no doubt that everyone will be captivated by those charms.
Under the philosophy that everything from work to riding and hiking is a form of play, the RAL meets holk / Player Shirt was perfected with the cooperation of holk, a brand based in our local Aichi prefecture that makes shirts you want to wear at any time. Using chambray fabric—often seen in work shirts, thin yet highly durable—it has become something we find indispensable as a daily shirt, even more so than we had initially imagined.
Based on that Player Shirt, the Player Shirt Wool we released last year, featuring wool as its main fabric, was well-received as a garment that thrives in various scenes—from casual daily life in the freezing winter to outdoor activities like riding and hiking. This season, we have completed a new Player Shirt Wool using a different fabric, so we would like to introduce it to you.
The New Player Shirt Wool, Made with Bishu Wool
This season, we have adopted a fabric carefully woven in Bishu, a region renowned for its wool production. Furthermore, once finished as a product, it was put through a "shukuju" (fulling) process to prevent shrinking and twisting from washing before being crafted into the final shirt. Bishu, which spans the western Owari region of Aichi to the Seino region of Gifu, is one of Japan's leading textile industry hubs where numerous processes from thread to fabric are divided and collaborated upon within the same area—a place with which holk also has deep ties in their product manufacturing.
Fulled Fabric with a Soft Texture
The fabric used is a blend of wool and polyethylene with a convenient, moderate thickness. Its texture is soft, and it features a unique unevenness created by the fulling process. It offers a fluffy comfort that provides genuine warmth, while also possessing the lightness and durability to perform in various situations.
A Shirt with a Simple Pattern Designed for Ease of Movement
As with previous Player Shirts, the pattern achieves full range of motion through the shirt's structure itself, such as through fine-tuned adjustments to the body width and armholes, and the way the yoke height and darts are handled. If we were only seeking ease of movement, we could increase the number of pattern components or adopt a three-dimensional structure, but our ideal is for the shirt to remain simple, so we have implemented invisible refinements.
Sleeves and Cuffs Designed for Cold and Temperature Regulation
We paid special attention to the sleeve length, which comfortably covers the wrists even when you reach forward, shielding you from the cold winter wind.
The cuffs are also tapered, allowing you to easily roll up your sleeves when it gets warm or when performing tasks. The buttons are made of rubber, similar to those used on rugby shirts, to prevent injury in the unlikely event of breakage.
Convenient Back Pocket
Naturally, this shirt also features a back pocket, a major characteristic of cycling wear. It is very convenient for storing items you frequently take in and out, such as keys or a smartphone. It is quite deep, and can easily accommodate a 500ml Nalgene bottle.
【RAL meets holk】
Player Shirt Wool
PRICE : ¥ 19,800 (excl. tax)
COLOR : Brown, Black
MATERIAL : Wool 72%, Polyethylene 19%, Rayon 9%
It is available in two check patterns: a brown base and a black base. Combining ease of use and elegance, it offers a chic look you’ll want to wear throughout this season.
Functional Casual Wear
This type of wool shirt provides moderate warmth while also being breathable, allowing heat generated from the body during exercise to dissipate efficiently, providing the functionality necessary for outdoor wear. Furthermore, as it possesses wool's characteristic heat retention, moisture absorption, and odor resistance, it performs not only during activities but in daily life as well.
There is no doubt that this Player Shirt Wool will become a staple as the season gets colder.
If you haven't checked out the RAL / Tabby Long or RAL meets ALLYOURS / High Kick Riding Jeans introduced recently, please be sure to look at those as well.
