The Japanese denim brand Edwin was founded in 1947.
Edwin was established in Japan after the Second World War and became one of the country’s influential denim specialists. The company is associated with developing Japanese approaches to jeans, including careful fabric production, washing and finishing techniques. Japan later became famous worldwide for premium selvedge denim, and Edwin was part of that broader history.
The name Edwin is often discussed in connection with the word “denim.” Brand histories commonly describe it as a rearrangement of the letters in “DENIM,” with the “M” inverted to create a “W.” The founding year, however, is the straightforward historical date: 1947.
Edwin is not an American brand relocated to Japan; it is a Japanese company. That distinction matters because Japanese denim developed its own manufacturing traditions while drawing inspiration from classic American workwear and five-pocket jeans.