United States Air Force Academy

Orthodox.

[Size Guide]
170cm-175cm / L
175cm-180cm / XL
180cm-185cm / XXL

The print design is from vintage USAFA.

It's orthodox.

Fabric knitted with an Azuma knitting machine.
Uses original slub yarn.

The uneven, mottled pattern is a distinctive feature of this brand.
From spinning to fabric, both the yarn and fabric are original creations.
This product helps minimize the visibility of sweat stains, which is a common drawback of gray fabrics.
Additionally, its fluffy texture is retained even after repeated washes.

[Reasons why sweat stains are less visible.]

1. Structure of杢糸 (mokuit) yarn
2. Slow knitting speed unique to Azuma knitting

1. Yarn Structure
What is heather gray?

Heather gray is not a single color gray yarn, but rather
・White or ecru cotton (fibers)
・Black or dark-colored cotton (fibers)
It is a yarn spun by mixing these different colored fibers.
In other words, white, ecru, black, and other fibers are twisted and blended to create a single yarn.

Heather yarn itself is not a single-color yarn; it already contains a mixture of the aforementioned colors within a single strand.
Therefore, when it becomes fabric, the surface has a random mix of various colors, which creates a complex, uneven, patterned fabric.


How does this affect sweat stains?
Sweat stains become noticeable because the moistened areas
・Appear darker or more saturated than the surrounding area
・Have a clear boundary between the wet and dry parts
This makes the stains prominent.

Riding High's heather originally has variations in lightness and darkness on its surface.
This means that the color changes when wet are obscured by the existing structure.

・Dry surface = already mottled.
・Wet surface = the existing mottling appears only slightly darker.

From the above, the outline of "this much is sweat" becomes less visible.


2. Structure of Azuma knitting
What is an Azuma knitting machine?
The Azuma knitting machine knits fabric slowly and at a low speed.
It is a loom (shokki) that operates in the exact opposite way of modern high-speed sinker knitting machines, which prioritize high speed, high tension, and high uniformity.

・Low speed
・Low tension
・Gentle on the yarn
・Slightly loose stitches, producing fabric with natural undulations.

What happens with knitted fabric made this way?

・Slightly uneven stitches
・Loops are not too tight
・Yarn retains its fullness
・Surface is slightly undulating
・The roundness of the yarn itself
・The fullness of the cotton
・Microscopic air layers
Tend to remain.

As a result, moisture tends to disperse gently across the surface rather than sitting as distinct dots.