Made in Japan. Made for you.
Workshop by ARCANA develops apparel from first sketch to final production, specialised in made-in-Japan product, complex craftsmanship, and luxury-level items. Full garment production or Japanese cloth as yardage, from 50 pieces per style.
Partner with you to develop made in Japan apparel.
Workshop by ARCANA is a one-stop service developing apparel from design into production, with fabric mills in Japan and manufacturing partners across Japan and China. If you are developing luxury-level items, we are the right partner.
Most factories are built for volume. We are built for craft: direct mill relationships, minimums from 50 pieces per style, and pattern making from nothing more than a sketch or a reference garment.
Japan's mill regions have woven cloth for generations, and each one leads the world in its own material. We take your program directly to them.
The end to end process.
Brief
Tell us the image you want to create. A sketch or a reference photograph is enough; no tech pack needed.
Email consultation
We align on the concept over email, with an optional 30 minute Google Meet for the initial brief. Design consultation is referred to our pattern maker at USD 50 per hour.
Materials
We propose fabrics and trims from our Japanese mills to suit the design and target price. Your own submissions are welcome.
Placement
Once the specification is set, we take it to the best-suited factory and mill partners and confirm feasibility, lead time, and cost.
Pattern
Our pattern maker drafts the production pattern on Toray software. Bring your own pattern and we work from it directly.
Toile (optional)
A trial garment to confirm the silhouette before cutting the real cloth. Use it for complex shapes; skip it for simple ones.
Sample
Sewn in the actual fabric and trims. Minor corrections are adjusted directly; major ones get a second sample. About one month per round.
Production
Confirm the quantity, from 50 pieces per style, and approve. Inspected at the factory and at pressing, with needle detection before packing.
Delivery
Finished garments shipped to your door, two to three months from sample approval.
Sewn by our workshop.
We handle high craftsmanship shirting at 16 to 18 stitches per inch, the stitch density of luxury ready-to-wear.
Drafted digitally, checked before cutting.
Production patterns are drafted by our pattern maker on Toray software, piece by piece with fabric and interlining counts. A virtual toile can then check the silhouette in 3D before any cloth is cut.
Cloth from Japan's great mill regions.
Pricing estimate.
CMT (cut, make, trim) estimates for simple construction, sewn in Japan. Fabric, trims, prints, special washes, and special finishing are quoted separately and itemised.
First patterns drafted digitally by our pattern maker. Grading, corrections, and toiles are quoted with your program.
Made-to-order pricing depends on the quality of the cloth. Ready stock is confirmed once we know what you need.
Timelines run from approval of the previous step. Dates are confirmed with your quote.
All prices are USD starting estimates; your written quote is confirmed before work begins. Full process production, where we procure all materials and handle CMT, is priced per client's requirements.
What does CMT include?
Cutting, making, and trimming: the labour of sewing your garment. Fabric, trims, shipping, duties, prints, and special finishing are quoted separately and itemised.
Can you procure the materials for me?
Yes. With full process production we procure all fabrics and trims and manage the make end to end, priced per client's requirements.
How long does sampling take?
About one month per round, from confirmed brief and materials to a sample in your hands.
How long is bulk production?
Two to three months after final sample approval, depending on construction and volume.
What are the fabric lead times?
Made-to-order fabric takes about two months at the mill. Ready stock ships as soon as it is procured.
What is the minimum order?
From 50 pieces per style. Capsules and single hero pieces are welcome.
I don't have a tech pack or pattern. Can you help?
Yes. Start from a sketch or a reference garment: our pattern maker drafts on Toray software and supports design development at USD 50 per hour.
Do I need a toile?
Optional. A trial garment in inexpensive cloth to confirm the silhouette before cutting the real fabric; recommended for complex shapes, skippable when construction is simple or you bring a pattern.