Takashima Safety Matches Vintage Japanese Matchbox Label Unisex Tee

The Story

This Meiji-era label was printed by the Takashima factory in Japan around 1890. The composition is contained within a decorative red border with a stamp-edge motif and a central oval frame. Inside the oval, a figure sits on a tree stump wearing a small red cap and a leaf skirt, holding a large slice of watermelon. The figure is rendered in fine engraved detail in dark blue with red accents, set against a cream ground. "Safety Matches" arcs across the top of the oval and "Takashima, Made in Japan" runs along the base, naming both the maker and the country of origin in clear block lettering.

Takashima was one of the many Japanese match manufacturers producing for the export trade in the late nineteenth century, when the country had become a dominant force in global match production. The combination of careful engraving, the pink and dark blue palette, and the stamp-style decorative border places this label firmly in the visual language of Meiji-era export commercial printing, when Japanese manufacturers were absorbing and reinterpreting commercial imagery from around the world for their own export labels.

On the tee the label reads as a vertical vignette, the red border and engraved central scene holding their detail at chest height.

Who Is It For

This tee is for pop art lovers, vintage fashion enthusiasts and collectors of late nineteenth century commercial printing. It suits anyone drawn to the bold red border, the fine engraving, and the strong graphic punch of Meiji-era matchbox design, and anyone who wants a piece of the Japanese export matchbox label archive on a wearable scale.

Available Colors

Black: On black the cream ground of the label reads warmly and the red border and dark blue engraving hold their detail clearly. The contrast is high and the original printing reads cleanly across the chest.

About the Collection

Every design in the Ichinichi Collection is sourced from a personal archive of original Japanese matchbox labels spanning 1880 to 1940. The Takashima Safety Matches label dates from around 1890 and is among the earlier pieces in the archive, representing the Meiji-era expansion of Japan's match export industry and the visual conventions of that period's commercial printing.

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.