ORIGINS: C.H.L BORO LINER

‘Boro’ refers to a Japanese technique of mending and re-using textiles by layering and patching them together into a warm and practical fabric. The term derives from the Japanese ‘boroboro’, meaning something tattered or repaired. Boro cloth is mostly hand-made by peasant farmers, who would re-weave or stitch together worn-out pieces of clothing as fabric for new garments. Typically, the fabrics used were made of cotton, linen, and hemp, and coloured with natural indigo. With its authentic colours and layered textures of wear and repair, the boro cloth we found inspired us to create the first handmade piece for A/A/F’s artisanal Canal House Line (C.H.L).

The C.H.L Boro Liner is constructed from a selection of antique indigo boro clothes from the 19th century which have been carefully restored and repaired by hand. Taking apart the various patches and pieces is a slow and careful process, as the fragile textiles are over a hundred years old. Next, the pieces are arranged to create the liner jacket’s pattern pieces and are newly reinforced and re-patched by hand.

Giving the boro pieces purpose as a new piece of clothing once again, they are put together to create a warm and comfortable jacket. In this way, C.H.L aims to honour their artisanal quality. The jacket’s oversized shape and fit are inspired by the liner of a vintage M51 US army parka, with a clean neck and voluminous sleeves. The jacket features patch pockets on the front and large interior pockets on each side, is padded with wool and lined with a reversed Japanese selvedge indigo chambray. The jacket closes with real horn buttons, meaning the C.H.L Boro Liner is made of 100% natural materials.

The first five liners we made are sold out. The C.H.L Boro Liner is now made upon order; expected delivery time is 4-8 weeks. Each piece is one of a kind. Please email help@appliedartforms.com for questions regarding this unique item.