A-POC ABLE x JAXA Weaves Antarctica into Jeans for November 1
TYPE-XVII JAXA project translates SHIKISAI satellite observations of Antarctica into jacquard cloth. Straight and wide jeans cost¥93,500 and ¥99,000 in Japan, with an accompanying design exhibition already open.
A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, bring distant Antarctic imagery into everyday clothing. Two jeans in the TYPE-XVII JAXA project are scheduled to launch November 1, 2026. Based on observations from the climate-monitoring satellite SHIKISAI, or GCOM-C, jacquard weaving incorporates the contrast between white ice and deep blue sea into the fabric. The central idea is how imagery becomes textile structure, rather than simply adding a landscape photograph to a pair of trousers.
How do satellite observations become cloth?
The brand uses its proprietary jacquard weaving technology to translate observation imagery into clothing made from a single piece of cloth. Broad Antarctic ice fields and the navy water between their fissures become intricate, continuous patterns across the jeans. A surface that can appear abstract from a distance retains a specific Earth-observation source. As the body moves, folds and drape change the presentation of information originally viewed on a flat plane.
White ice and deep blue fissures become a jacquard pattern.Roomier legs reveal a broader expanse of the ice-and-sea pattern.
SHIKISAI continually observes Earth, supplying information related to climate, disasters and resources. Choosing Antarctica as a starting point does not make these jeans monitoring devices, nor does the collaboration establish that wearing them reduces environmental impact. Its more concrete proposition is to bring imagery produced for scientific work into everyday discussion of the planet through the accessible scale of clothing.
Straight and wide fits, with Japanese prices
The range offers straight and wide jeans, each in four sizes. The straight version costs ¥93,500 in Japan and the wide version¥99,000. The colour is named Navy Hued, and the brand notes that patterns differ between styles. Alongside waist and length, buyers should compare the actual pattern distribution of the chosen model instead of assuming both silhouettes share precisely the same arrangement of ice and sea shown in one campaign photograph.
Published styling images pair the trousers with simple dark tops, placing emphasis on the patterned legs. Roomier and straighter silhouettes expose different areas of the textile. The jeans already carry substantial visual information without additional graphics. To preserve the imagery’s legibility, consider the full trouser length and its meeting point with the shoes before deciding to roll the hems. This is an observation based on styling photographs, not a wear test.
A dark top and patterned trousers show a straighter silhouette.A side view shows the trousers’ drape and pattern distribution.
Two ways to explore the development beyond the launch
Planned Japanese stockists include A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE / AOYAMA and KYOTO, plus ISSEY MIYAKE GINZA /442. Some stores may use reservations, so check arrangements before travelling. A related exhibition opened October 21 at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 3 and runs through November 19, considering the possibilities of a piece of cloth through science and design. The exhibition’s opening and the product release are separate dates.
From November 1, A-POC SPACE inside the Aoyama store will also introduce the project’s background and cross-disciplinary experiments through a presentation titled DIALOGUES. Those interested in the clothes or their development can start with the official TYPE-XVII JAXA project introduction, then check the relevant store and exhibition details separately. Clothing, observation imagery and research are connected here, but visiting the exhibition does not guarantee the jeans can be purchased there that day.
