Focus On: The Lexicon of Sunray
S/S '22
In which we introduce you to all the shapes and colours of Sunray’s famous tees (including the new Spirit Women’s collection).
First a little background:
Designed in Newquay by the inimitable Colin (read Rob’s interview with him from last season) and made in Japan, these are simply the very, very finest tee shirts. Made on a vintage circular knitting machine (meaning no side seams) by a third generation family firm who have been knitting jersey for 100 years (they once made uniforms for the Japanese Imperial Palace), this is a slow and meticulous process. This machine can produce only 1 metre of jersey an hour and a tee shirt takes over an hour and a half to make. The machine lays the cotton down in a tube in very slow revolutions with minimal tension. No tension and no side seam results in a garment which can almost never go out of shape. These are tee shirts built to last.
Meet the Men’s Shapes (named for Hawaiian surf spots):
Haleiwa
Pronounced hal - i - eva
Island of O’ahu
This is a classic short sleeve tee shirt with inset sleeves. Cut a little longer in the body. Made from 260 gram recycled heavyweight jersey.
Makaha
Pronounced maa - kuh - huh
Island of O’ahu
A traditional short sleeve tee shirt with a boxier and slightly shorter fit. Thicker neck ribbing offers a classic 50s look. Made from 300 gram heavyweight jersey.
Puamana
Pronounced poo - a - mana
Island of Maui
A vintage inspired classic sweatshirt, with raglan sleeve detail, featuring V neck insert and wide ribbed trims. Made from 420 gram recycled brushed fleece.
Pua'ena
Pronounced poo - ayna
Island of O’ahu
A raglan tee with short or long sleeves, thick ribbed cuffs and neckline. A little higher in the neck than the Haleiwa. Made from 260 gram recycled heavyweight jersey.
Meet the Women’s Shapes
(named for goddesses in Hawaiian mythology):
Na’maka’oh
Pronounced nam - akka - oh
Goddess of the Ocean
A vintage inspired classic sweatshirt, with raglan sleeve detail, featuring V neck insert and wide ribbed trims. Made from 420 gram recycled brushed fleece.
Hi’Aka
Pronounced hi - akka
Goddess of Dance
This is the cropped shape. Inset slightly capped sleeve. Length sits just below belt loops of your jeans. 260 gram recycled cotton.
The Fabrications
All the tee shirt styles are made using a special Japanese recycled cotton called Ochiwata. Ochiwata cotton is woven from the discarded short fibres of fluff from traditional cotton thread production. This by-product is then spun into the soft, downy yarn that produces a Sunray jersey.
Fun fact: Jersey fabric was first produced on the Channel Island of Jersey during the medieval era, hence the name.
Step this way to explore the full collections.