Frequently Asked Questions

Please contact me if you have questions that are not addressed here.

What lineage do your robes belong to?

I make priest robes according to Soto Zen standards and based on models that were made in Japan. I also offer optional variants as they have come to exist within Suzuki Roshi’s lineage at San Francisco Zen Center. My lay robes are made in the SFZC style.

General garments such as juban and samue are broadly the same across all Zen traditions.

I am a lay practitioner, what is appropriate for me to wear?

The best recommendation is to ask your teacher or practice leadership for their specific guidelines or expectations around lay practice clothing, as these can vary. Generally speaking, it is widely accepted for lay practitioners to wear samue in dark, solid colors, as well as juban as undergarments. Black is the universal color of choice for samue, but dark blue may also be acceptable, and you should avoid browns/ochres, as those colors are generally reserved for teachers who have received dharma transmission. Lay robes with kimono may also be worn in some settings. I also make a happi shirt, which is a purely casual garment.

Lay practitioners who have not received shukke tokudo (priest ordination) should not wear priest koromo or kairyoe. Nagasamue are also generally regarded as priest clothing, though some practice centers may vary.

I am preparing to ordain as a new Zen priest, what do you recommend for a basic starter set of robes?

Congratulations! Your teacher may have specific requests or recommendations that differ from mine, so make sure to ask them first. I generally recommend a standard juban in all-purpose or lightweight cotton (keep the ties so you can also wear it with samue), a traditional kimono in all-purpose cotton (with or without the added side pleats), and a priest koromo in any fabric (either of the bodice and sleeve tieback options are fine). The color of kimono (whether gray or white) can vary by practice center, so check with your teacher before ordering. Adding the replaceable overcollar to the kimono and koromo can be a nice insurance policy for later, but certainly isn’t required (see below for more about that). Get either the basic velcro obi or the knotted velcro obi, and the braided robe belt in black.

How are your prices calculated?

My prices reflect the real cost of making this clothing. It takes 4-5 hours of skilled work to make a single juban, and 8-15 hours for robes, including significant hand-stitching on some items. Other factors include the fabric (around six to ten yards per robe), overhead costs, and significant taxes involved in running a solo business in the United States. While a high-quality juban, samue, or robe is an investment, I make it to your individual measurements with an eye to long-term durability, and it will serve you for many years, if not decades. I try to keep the base cost for each item as affordable as possible by making upgrades optional for an additional labor fee. My mission is to make a full range of traditional, high-quality Zen robes more available in North America, and your support allows me to continue doing this by earning a modest living wage. Thank you for helping maintain the traditional craft and skills of small scale robe-making in a way that is based in connection, relationship, and care.

I have difficulty finding clothes that fit my body size/shape, will your clothes fit me?

I make all my garments to your actual measurements, and do my absolute best to get a fit that makes you look and feel great. There are also certain style adjustments that can help accommodate larger sizes in particular. If you are concerned about getting a good fit for whatever reason, please let me know and I will work with you to make a piece of clothing that fits your needs.

What is a hand-sewn removable overcollar, and do I need it?

An overcollar is a long strip of matching fabric that is sewn on top of the regular collar to provide a second layer. It has two functions: it looks distinguished, and it provides a layer of protection to an area that tends to get a lot of wear. It can also be added after a collar has already started to fray in order to cover the damaged area and extend the life of the garment. Overcollars are sewn on by hand after the garment is finished, which takes some time (hence the added cost), but are easily removeable and replaceable in the future due to wear or discoloration. When you order an overcollar, I will also send you an extra pre-cut piece of matching fabric for future replacement. If you know you will mend your clothes and want to keep them going for as long as you can, then adding an overcollar may make sense, especially for big-ticket items such as kimono and robes, on which the collars do tend to wear out after a few years of heavy use. Another option is to skip the overcollar at purchase and add one if needed at a later date — I do offer replacement patches from fabric that I have in stock, though it is not guaranteed that a perfect match will be available in the future.

What are “permanent pleats”?

Pleated skirts must be ironed in order to look well-kept, a task which can be both challenging and time-consuming. The “permanent pleat” option adds a narrow line of top-stitching to the inside fold of the interior pleats, which keeps the pleats in place and is nearly invisible from the outside. This is a feature on many contemporary Japanese-made koromo, and is available for any garment with a pleated skirt.

What are added side pleats on a kimono?

Traditional Japanese kimono are cut in a straight line from the shoulder to the ankle, producing a rectangular garment that is wrapped tightly around the body. The front panels of the kimono typically pull open when sitting in a cross-legged position, which can be an issue of modesty, especially when wearing semi-sheer outer robes. For this reason, Americans have developed (and often prefer) a modified kimono style that adds two deep box pleats on the sides at hip level. This provides enough additional fabric in the lower garment to keep the front covered when sitting, and generally increases the range of available movement. Having worn kimono in both styles, I do find myself moving and sitting differently in each of them. Cultural opinions and experience around this are varied, and ultimately the decision is a personal one. If you are getting a kimono for the first time, I recommend asking around.

Can I send you my own fabric to use? 

I am open to using your fabric, but will generally request photos to help evaluate whether it will work for what you want made from it. Samue are more forgiving than robes when it comes to fabric choice, and generally lightweight fabric is more likely to produce a garment that you will actually want to wear. Contact me if this is of interest to you.