This pair of Pure Blue Japan 12oz Indigo Dyed Rip-Stop Cargo Pants was worn by CORLECTION's Lee, who shares:
"Back in 2018, I found myself searching for a pair of cargo pants I could truly live in — something to age with me. That’s when I stumbled upon this pair from PBJ, and they surprised me in the best way. Over the past six years, they’ve been with me through countless memories, until finally, they became unwearable and beyond repair."
"In their brand-new state, the ripstop fabric weighed in at 10oz. But after the initial industrial wash and natural shrinkage, the weight increased to around 12oz — a surprisingly substantial feel for a pair of cargos. For the first two years, I wore them twice a week, around 8 to 9 months out of the year (excluding the winter season). After every two wears, I gave them a wash, keeping a consistent care routine.
Because the thread was dyed in a deep, grand indigo tone, the fabric aged beautifully over time. With regular wear and washing, the pants developed rich, high-contrast fades — completely natural and uniquely mine."
"Even the hardware told a story over time. The oxidised, PBJ-logo’d brass button gradually became shinier with use, while the ‘UNIVERSAL’ zipper aged into a darker, brownish tone — gaining a soulful patina that only comes with years of wear."
"After the first two years, I noticed the fabric seemed to return to its original 10oz feel — likely from fibre breakdown and continued wear. From then on, I wore them twice a week during only the warmer months, around 6 to 7 months a year. They had truly broken in by that point — soft, breathable, and incredibly comfortable against my skin.
It was around this time that I started to notice micro wear-outs forming, especially around the belt loops and front pockets. Those subtle signs of aging just made them feel even more personal — quiet reminders of time well spent."
"Part of my daily work involved helping customers find the right size boots, which meant I often found myself kneeling down or squatting throughout the day. By the fourth year of wear, the knees and crotch area of these cargo pants had been worn-out heavily.
Instead of retiring them, I turned to Sydney’s best repair master — Mik'. Using a mix of darning and patchwork techniques, he brought them back to life. The results were incredible. They didn’t just look repaired; they looked REBORN!"
"In the final two years of wear, I found myself reaching for them just once or twice a week, and only during the summer months. By then, the aging process had noticeably accelerated — the fabric had thinned down to roughly 8oz. They’d become my favourite summer pants: soft, breathable, broken in perfectly.
But with that comfort came hesitation. I loved wearing them… and was also scared to wear them...The fabric was teasing with weakness almost everywhere. The rear area, in particular, had worn down significantly. I brought them back to Mik' for one last assessment, and he gently told me: maybe it was time to retire them."
“Like Boyz II Men once sang: ‘It’s so hard… to say goodbye… to yesterday.’ This pair of PBJ indigo-dyed ripstop cargo pants had become more than just clothing — they felt like an old friend. A witness to years of work, growth, and small moments that stitched together my life.
Sometimes I still catch myself staring at the thinned-out fabric, tracing the worn spots with my fingers, thinking about everything they’ve been through — and everything I’ve been through. In those quiet moments, I realise something simple and honest:
This Was A Life I Never Wasted...”