Brand profile
UES
Osaka denim house making Japan-made selvedge jeans, heavy flannels and vintage-inspired workwear built to be worn out, not thrown away.
OsakaOrigin
UnisexFocus
Workwear / HeritageStyle
$$$Price
4 brands like UES like Beams Plus, Taylor Stitch, Universal Works →
What to know about UES
UES is a Japanese denim and casualwear label founded in Osaka in 1994 by Chuji Matsumoto, with its first shop opening in Kobe in 1997. The name reads as "waste," a nod to wearing garments out rather than discarding them, and the brand now frames it as Universal, Ethical, Sustainable. Production stays in Japan across dyeing, weaving and sewing, with signature 400-series selvedge jeans woven on vintage shuttle looms from Zimbabwe cotton, plus heavyweight flannels, sweats and vintage-inspired outerwear.
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Shop all UES ↗Available atIron Shop Provisions · Blue in Green · Brooklyn Clothing Co.
If you like UES
80% matchBeams Plus
Tokyo take on vintage Americana workwear and Ivy
What changes: Broader, lighter-weight styling rather than heavyweight repro denim
71% matchTaylor Stitch
Durable workwear basics, fabric-first, made to break in
What changes: US-made/overseas mix, softer fabrics, no selvedge loom pedigree
70% matchUniversal Works
British mid-century workwear cut looser and less heavy
What changes: UK/European sourcing, softer tailoring, less denim focus
68% matchNudie Jeans
Five-pocket selvedge purism with a repair-it ethos
What changes: Slimmer Scandi fits, organic cotton over vintage-loom heft
Brand facts
- Founded
- 1994
- Origin
- Osaka, Japan
- Price
- $$$
- Typical prices
- T-shirts $99–$137 · Shirts $200–$260 · Hoodies $95–$246
- Focus
- Unisex
- Styles
- Workwear / Heritage, Minimalist / Contemporary