— To begin, could you tell us about Square Roots’ initiatives?

Tobias Peggs (hereafter, Tobias): Square Roots is an organization engaged in indoor farming. In laboratories, equipped with modular growing systems and cutting-edge environmental control technologies, we manage and automatically adjust growing conditions in real time. Because our production process does not rely on sunlight or soil, we can cultivate vegetables with consistent quality throughout the year, unaffected by seasonal changes. One of our key features is the ability to continue production even during winters when the ground is covered in snow.

The reason this technology is so important is that climate change is making outdoor production increasingly difficult. In Japan too, rising summer temperatures are making it harder to maintain stable crop quality and yields. Under these circumstances, introducing indoor production technology can help address not only Japan’s challenges, but also global food issues more broadly.

I first met the members of Square Roots Japan about six years ago. At the time I was visiting Japan to meet with local farmers. What struck me most was not just their focus on efficiency, but their profound commitment to flavor and quality. Like artisans, they approached vegetable cultivation with sincerity and dedication. That attitude left a lasting impression on me.

We digitize this knowledge and expertise, collecting and analyzing data such as temperature, humidity, light levels, and nutrient balance, and then accumulate it as “recipes”. By utilizing this data, we are able to consistently reproduce the same level of quality at Square Roots facilities. Square Roots Japan aims to fuse the traditions and techniques cultivated by Japanese farmers with the technologies required in the age of climate change, creating a new model of agriculture.

Mai Matsumoto (hereafter, Matsumoto): To realize indoor farming facilities capable of producing fresh, high-quality vegetables anytime and anywhere, we not only need agricultural knowledge, but also expertise in architecture, air conditioning, airflow, and lighting technologies. Currently, we are bringing together a wide range of Japanese technologies essential for indoor farming and preparing to establish “Agri Tech Lab Tokyo”, a base for verifying and implementing Square Roots’ production technologies.

By articulating and quantifying cultivation know-how, knowledge that has long relied on farmers’ experience, into “recipes”, we can carry it into the future instead of letting it be lost. At Square Roots, we aim to preserve the wisdom of farmers while increasing Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate from Tokyo and encouraging more young people to pursue careers in agriculture. That vision is something I find deeply compelling.

— Could you tell us how you came to ask A-POC ABLE to design the uniforms for the team working at “Agri Tech Lab Tokyo”?

Matsumoto: I feel that producing food and producing clothing are closely connected endeavors, both rooted in the very foundation of daily life. Both we and A-POC ABLE share a similar mindset in seeking to integrate technology into the most familiar aspects of everyday living. In a time when both food and clothing are often consumed as symbols of status, A-POC ABLE continues to create garments that stay close to the wearer’s life and individuality. I felt there was great meaning at first in engaging with and understanding that philosophy and way of thinking.

Tobias: I originally worked as a journalist for the British culture magazine i-D. At that time, I was already familiar with “PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE”, so I was truly excited when this collaboration with A-POC ABLE became a reality.

I regularly wear A-POC ABLE jackets. What attracts me to them is not only their stylish appearance, but also their high functionality and durability. They are versatile, comfortable, and useful in a wide range of situations. The same applies to work uniforms: they need both the durability required to handle heavy machinery and the comfort to be worn for long hours. I believe it is important that uniforms too are garments capable of adapting to any circumstance.

What makes me happiest of all is how similar our ways of thinking are. Both of us seek to naturally connect new technologies with traditions and craftsmanship that have been cultivated over time. While A-POC ABLE works with clothing and Square Roots works with food, I believe we are trying to tell the same story.

Yoshiyuki Miyamae (hereafter, Miyamae): Food and clothing share the common ground of being essential to human life. What impressed me about Square Roots is that they are not simply incorporating technology into daily life; they have a clear vision of creating new social value through agricultural technology.

Although the fields are different, that vision resonates with A-POC ABLE’s own approach of creating new value from a single piece of cloth. That is why we wanted to understand the world Square Roots is trying to envision more deeply. Observing initiatives in a different field up close also leads to new insights and learning for us. That sense of curiosity became the starting point for our collaboration.

Clothing Making That Begins with Dialogue

— How did the production process begin?

Miyamae: We began with in-depth interviews. First, we tried to understand the environment in which the Square Roots team works. What aspects of their previous uniforms were they satisfied with? Where was there room for improvement? We started by prioritizing these issues.

During these conversations, what left a strong impression on me was when Tobias san and Matsumoto san said they wanted to be the kind of organization that would make people entering the field of agriculture think, “I want to work at Square Roots”. From there, we established a direction: to create garments that fulfill the requirements of a uniform while also being aesthetically appealing, something positioned between a uniform and functional everyday wear.

Throughout the process, we invited them to experience the materials we typically use, carefully considering the balance between durability, comfort, and productivity. At the same time, we were mindful of elements that cannot be measured solely by numbers or specifications. How does one feel when wearing the garment? What kind of attitude or awareness emerges from putting it on? As a uniform, functionality is essential. However, that alone is not enough. We wanted to design not only the practical aspects but also the culture that emerges from wearing it and the mindset toward work that it inspires. We placed the very sensation of “wearing” at the center of the design process.

Manabu Nakatani (hereafter, Nakatani): When we were developing the fabric for this project, we conducted repeated tests of various weave structures. Using black warp threads and green weft threads, we combined plain weaves, twill weaves, satin weaves, and others to create fabrics with differing degrees of firmness. Increasing the density makes the fabric sturdier, but it also makes it more prone to wrinkling, which could become a concern for those wearing it while working. Taking such factors into account, we produced dozens of weave prototypes in search of the right balance.

Nanae Takahashi (hereafter, Takahashi): Even when using the same yarn, the weave structure determines whether the fabric appears sheer or opaque. These differences also affect how the color is perceived, and the fabric’s strength. From among these variations, we carefully selected the structure that offered the most suitable texture and performance.

Nakatani: What I valued most in the design process was not being bound by my own fixed notions of what is “cool” or “not cool”. We aimed to create fabrics that incorporated as many elements as possible. For example, we experimented with a variety of patterns using jacquard weaving, or intentionally added lines.

Some people might find such elements unnecessary. However, what feels like a sense of discomfort to one person may emerge as an appealing feature to someone else. When even a single element resonates with someone, ideas can unfold in unexpected directions from there. Believing in that possibility, we continued through repeated trial and error.

Tobias: When I first saw these striped lines, what came to mind were the yellow-and-black caution markings. In our agricultural facilities, there are many situations that require careful attention to safety. In that sense, I felt the motif was highly appropriate as something that signals awareness and care.

Matsumoto: Looking back on the production process, what left the strongest impression on me was how carefully you truly listened to our voices. I had assumed that clothing design was something decided in a top-down manner by the designer, so being able to move forward through such extensive dialogue was a pleasant surprise.

Nakatani: We were able to proceed through constant dialogue. For example, we initially thought the logo on the back should be green. However, after hearing the opinion that it should match the clean atmosphere of the farm, we ultimately decided on white. Rather than deciding everything ourselves, it felt like we were building the garments together by entrusting you with decisions as well.

Another impressive aspect was the speed of decision-making at Square Roots. After each meeting, most of the specifications to be considered were decided that very day, allowing us to move straight into production. I believe it was precisely because of the decisiveness unique to the startup company that we were able to advance the project so quickly.

Miyamae: As for the material, we based this project on a fabric called “TYPE-U.” In general, when fabric becomes wrinkled, it tends to give a negative impression and can appear worn out. However, this material uses yarn and a weave structure designed so that the texture created through handling, like soft Japanese paper, becomes part of the textile’s appeal.

Because these are uniforms worn every day, the environment does not always allow them to remain perfectly crisp like a suit. Even if they become slightly wrinkled or creased, those qualities can resonate as character and expression. We designed the material with that premise in mind.

In reality, maintaining a perfectly immaculate state at all times is a real operational burden. When thinking about garments that will be worn for many years, the ability to continue using them comfortably and naturally was a non-negotiable.

— Through collaborations with external organizations, A-POC ABLE seems to have continually redefined the possibilities of clothing itself. What new perspectives or expansions emerged from this project with Square Roots?

Miyamae: We were presented with environments and conditions that we do not usually encounter, and in thinking about how to express them within a single piece of cloth, this uniform was born. I believe this is something that could only have been realized by A-POC ABLE. Even when looking at the finished uniform, I am reminded that a single piece of cloth still holds great potential. I feel that the significance of this project lies in the fact that it allowed us to step into territory we could not have reached on our own.

Takahashi: At A-POC ABLE, we always begin clothing design by embedding all the information of a garment into a single piece of cloth. However, as this was a uniform, we needed to accommodate a range of sizes.

To address this, we adopted an approach that combines A-POC ABLE’s distinctive method of making garments with the standardized production techniques typical of general uniforms. By clearly distinguishing the elements shared by everyone, such as the back with the logo and the pocket areas, from the more flexible sections, we created a design in which the front panel has a different feel for each piece, while the back panel maintains a unified look.

Producing everything entirely as one-off pieces would inevitably raise costs. Within those constraints, we refined the design to keep prices manageable while still embodying A-POC ABLE’s identity as a “uniform born from a single piece of cloth”.

Choosing to Live in the City and Engage in Agriculture

— In creating this uniform, you emphasized performance while also wanting to express a “commitment to participating in the future of agriculture”. Through what kind of dialogue did both teams translate values that cannot be measured numerically into a final form?

Miyamae: I believe that this very act of dialogue is what matters most. In the end, what is truly important is not the finished “object” itself, but the relationship of “creating it together”. When something is born through such a process, the thoughts and perspectives of everyone involved naturally reside within it. If that story continues to be shared within Square Roots, then those who wear the uniform will also intuitively sense the intentions behind it.

In our approach to clothing design, we value how these invisible qualities, when shared alongside a narrative, give rise to new meaning in a garment. Believing in that power, we engage in our work every day.

Although this project was carried out within a limited timeframe, I feel that through dense and thoughtful communication, we were able to firmly embed those values into the uniform. Dialogue may seem simple, but it does not naturally occur with just anyone. The fact that we were able to listen carefully to one another and continue exchanging words with sincerity is what led to this outcome.

Tobias: I was also grateful that, through this back-and-forth exchange, you quickly understood what our industry truly prioritizes and responded accordingly. For example, one important protocol concerns pest control. If a jacket sleeve has a cuff that folds back, insects can enter there and potentially cause serious problems. The initial proposal included folded cuffs, but once we explained the reason, you immediately understood its importance. Of course style is important, but from the point of view of food safety, certain functional requirements are essential. I truly appreciated that you understood those needs and reflected them in a way that balanced appearance, comfort, and functionality.

Miyamae: One of the principles we inherited from Miyake and continue to value in our design process is how fully we can imagine the person on the receiving end. Perhaps that is what distinguishes design from art. Design always has someone it is meant for. That is why “listening” becomes more important than anything else.

In that sense, I may always carry something like the mindset of a doctor asking, “What are you struggling with right now?” It is the same whether I am speaking with a team or working with people in a factory. By carefully listening to the voices around us, the question naturally arises: “How can we use the power of design to solve this issue?” The accumulation of those moments, of listening, imagining, and responding, is what becomes the driving force behind our way of making things.

— Lastly, could you share what you and Tobias hope this uniform will achieve, including Square Roots’ future outlook?

Matsumoto: In Tokyo, careers connected to cafés or fashion are often spoken of as “aspirational professions”. By contrast, agriculture can sometimes feel somewhat removed from urban life. Square Roots Japan hopes to make agriculture just as appealing a profession as working in a café or in apparel. In that sense, being able to work while wearing this uniform carries significant meaning. I feel it symbolizes a new image of what it means to be involved in farming.

Tobias: To share a few figures: in the United States, the average age of people engaged in agriculture is 58. In Japan, it is 69, and those under 65 account for only 28%. As current farmers retire, the number of people growing vegetables in Japan could decline significantly.

At Square Roots, we are taking several approaches to spark interest in agriculture among younger generations. One is creating an environment where people can engage in farming while living in the city. They can work in comfortable indoor spaces without being exposed to extreme outdoor heat or cold. Another is broadening entry points into agriculture from the technology sector: allowing people, for example, to become involved as data scientists.

In addition to these attractions, the wonderful uniform we have created together is also one of the values we can offer. Particularly in Japan, there is a cultural aspect where wearing a stylish uniform can make a profession more aspirational for young people. By wearing this uniform ourselves and building the future of agriculture, we hope to spread the message that “agriculture is a cool profession”. We believe that this shift in perception can ultimately contribute to addressing the larger issue of global food challenges.

Square Roots Japan
Square Roots Japan builds systems that are gentle on people and the planet, creating hubs that deliver fresh, high-quality vegetables to cities 365 days a year. By fusing advanced technology with artisanal expertise, the company brings Japan’s concept of “deliciousness” to the next generation and to the world. Reimagining the conventions of agriculture, Square Roots Japan is committed to creating a sustainable future for food.