Mitsui Bussan Peacock Vintage Japanese Matchbox Label Unisex Tee

Outstanding label, and a significant one. The central image is a peacock with its tail fanned in full display, rendered in silvery grey-blue against a vivid red ground. The Japanese text identifies the maker as 三井物産株式会社 (Mitsui Bussan Kabushiki Kaisha, the Mitsui & Co. trading house). The right column reads 優等細軸 (superior fine-stem matches) and the left reads 德用燐寸 (economy/value matches). Bella Canvas 3001, one colorway visible: purple. Using the shortened title format.

Product Title

Mitsui Bussan Peacock Vintage Japanese Matchbox Label Unisex Tee

The Story

The peacock on this label is rendered with a confidence that borders on the regal. Tail fully fanned, every eye-spot picked out in fine engraving, the bird fills the center of the label in silvery grey-blue against a vivid red ground, its small crowned head turned in profile. It is a display in every sense, a bird showing itself off and a printer doing exactly the same with the detail of the feathers and the richness of the color. Japanese text runs in columns on both sides and along the base. The maker is named as 三井物産株式会社, Mitsui Bussan Kabushiki Kaisha, the trading arm of the Mitsui combine and one of the largest and most important commercial enterprises in modern Japanese history. The right column reads 優等細軸, superior fine-stem matches, and the left 德用燐寸, a value or economy line, the label communicating both quality and product type directly to the buyer.

That Mitsui Bussan name matters. This was no small regional manufacturer but one of the great Japanese trading houses, a company whose match exports moved through its global network of offices and agents across Asia and beyond. A label bearing the Mitsui Bussan mark sits at the intersection of fine commercial printing and the industrial might of one of the companies that built modern Japan's export economy. The peacock, a symbol of beauty, dignity and protection across many Asian cultures, was a fitting choice for a flagship trading house presenting itself to overseas markets.

On the tee the label sits at chest height, the red ground reading warmly and the silvered peacock holding every bit of its fine detail.

Who Is It For

This tee suits someone who knows that the best graphic design often comes from the most unexpected places, in this case a matchbox produced by a Japanese trading giant a century ago. They might be drawn to the peacock itself, to the history of Mitsui and Japan's industrial rise, to the red and silver palette, or to the simple fact that this is an exceptionally beautiful piece of commercial art. They wear it knowing that almost nobody else will recognise the label, and that the few who do will have a great deal to say about it.

Available Colors

Purple: The deep purple of this colorway sets off the label's red ground with real richness, the two warm tones sitting together in a way that feels regal and considered. The silvered peacock reads with particular clarity against the surrounding purple and the whole combination has a quiet luxury to it.

About the Collection

Every design in the Ichinichi Collection is sourced from a personal archive of original Japanese matchbox labels spanning 1880 to 1940. This peacock label was produced under the mark of Mitsui Bussan Kabushiki Kaisha, the trading arm of the Mitsui combine and one of the most powerful commercial enterprises in modern Japanese history. It is among the archive's most historically significant labels, linking the fine craft of matchbox printing to the industrial scale of Japan's great export trading houses.

Product Details

Material: 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton. Weight: 4.2 oz per square yard, lightweight and breathable. Fit: Unisex retail fit, crew neckline, ribbed knit collar. Construction: Tapered shoulders, dual side seams for shape retention. Label: Tear-away, minimal skin irritation. Ethics: Fair Labor Association, Platinum WRAP certified, no sweatshop. Sleeve prints and neck labels use DTF printing where applicable.

Size Guide

All measurements in inches. Size tolerance: plus or minus 1.50 inches across all measurements.

Fabric blends vary by color. Ash and Heather Prism: 99% cotton and 1% polyester. Heather and Solid Blend: 52% cotton and 48% polyester. Athletic Heather and Black Heather: 90% cotton and 10% polyester.