Needles Clothing
Needles clothing is the Tokyo label known for papillon-embroidered track pants and jackets with contrast side tape. Below the grid, I explain what to buy first, how the fits differ and how Japanese sizing works.
NEEDLES JACKETS
NEEDLES PANTS
NEEDLES — ALL PRODUCTS
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NEEDLES H.D. TRACKPANTS - BLACK -
NEEDLES H.D. TRACKPANTS - BLACK & WHITE -
NEEDLES H.D. TRACKPANTS - NAVY -
NEEDLES H.D. TRACKPANTS - PURPLE -
NEEDLES H.D. TRACKPANTS - OLIVE -
Needles H.D. Track Pants - Dark Green -
NEEDLES TRACK JACKET - NAVY -
NEEDLES H.D. TRACKPANTS - POLY SMOOTH -
Needles H.D. Track Pants - Navy Blue -
NEEDLES TRACK JACKET - BLACK & WHITE -
Needles Track Jacket - Black with Purple -
Needles Poly Smooth Track Pants - Black Brown -
NEEDLES TRACK JACKET - BLACK -
Needles Track Jacket - Dark Green -
Needles Poly Smooth Track Pants - Black -
Needles x Studious Mohair Papillon Cardigan - Natural Ivory -
NEEDLES TRACKPANT - ROYAL BLUE -
Needles Narrow Track Pants - Navy Velour -
Needles Narrow Track Pants - Grey Velour -
NEEDLES H.D. TRACKPANTS - SAX -
NEEDLES H.D. TRACKPANTS - TAUPE -
Needles H.D. Track Pants - Azure -
Slam Jam X Needles Track Pants -
Needles x Beams Fleece Track Pants - Navy Purple -
Needles x Beams Fleece Track Pants - Brown Green -
Needles x Beams Fleece Track Jacket - Navy Purple -
NEEDLES x AWGE Velour Track Pants -
NEEDLES x AWGE Velour Track Jacket -
Needles x AWGE Narrow Track Pants - Neon Pink -
NEEDLES TRACK PANT - DARK GREEN -
Needles Narrow Track Pants - Black Velour -
Needles Narrow Track Pants - Black Velour -
Needles Boot-Cut Track Pants - Navy Velour -
Lapstone X Needles 76ers Track Pants -
Watch Cap - Black - Merino Wool -
V Neck Cardigan - Black - Poly Mesh -
String Cowboy Short Poly Slub Sateen - Black -
Shetland Knit Vest - Red - Plaid -
One-Up Shirt - Blue - Wool Shadow Plaid -
Scarf - Red - Printed Silk Crepe -
Scarf - Purple - Printed Silk Crepe -
Rebuild by Needles Flannel Ribbon Shirt -
Peace Buckle Narrow Bracelet - Brown - Steer Lthr -
Peace Buckle Narrow Belt - Brown - Steer Lthr -
Peace Buckle Narrow Belt - Black - Steer Lthr -
Peace Buckle Bracelet - Brown - Steer Lthr -
Peace Buckle Belt - Brown - Steer Lthr -
Over Parka - Leopard - Alpaca Shaggy -
One-Up Shirt - Purple - Printed Flannel / Plaid -
Needles x Tie A Knot - Crystal Beads Long Necklace - Yellow x Purple -
Needles x Tie A Knot - Crystal Beads Long Necklace - Black x Purple -
Needles x Tie A Knot - Crystal Beads Double Row Ring - Pink x Purple -
Needles x Tie A Knot - Crystal Beads Double Row Ring - Blue x Purple -
Needles x Rocky Mountain Featherbed - Vest - Black -
Needles x Rocky Mountain Featherbed - Vest - Beige -
Needles x Rocky Mountain Featherbed - Jacket - Black -
Needles x Rocky Mountain Featherbed - Jacket - Beige -
Needles x Beams Fleece Track Jacket - Brown Green -
Needles Track Jacket - Navy Velour -
Needles Velour Rib Collar Track Jacket - Navy -
Needles Track Pants - Sax -
NEEDLES H.D BDU SHORTS - BLACK -
NEEDLES TRACK JACKET - TAUPE -
Needles Track Jacket - Sax -
NEEDLES TRACK JACKET - PURPLE -
Needles Track Jacket - Charcoal -
String Cowboy Short Poly Slub Sateen - Beige -
Needles Poly Smooth Track Pants - Olive -
Needles Piping Cowboy Jacket - Black -
Needles Narrow Track Pants - Charcoal -
Needles Mock Neck T-shirt Short Sleeves - White -
Needles Mock Neck T-shirt Short Sleeves - Black -
NEEDLES H.D. TRACKPANTS - WINE -
Needles Cowboy One-Up Poly Slub Sateen S/S Shirt - Beige -
Needles Cowboy One-Up Poly Slub Sateen S/S Shirt - Black -
Needles × Charcoal TOKYO Poly Sports T - White -
NEEDLES 12OZ GLITCH STITCH DENIM JACKET -
Lapstone X Needles 76ers Track Jacket -
L/S Mock Neck Tee - White - Poly Waffle Jersey -
H.D. Pant - Black - 6oz Denim -
H.D. Jean Skirt - Black - 12oz Denim -
H.D. BDU Pant - Black - Victorian Sheer -
Girls Don't Cry X Needles Track Pants -
Fringe Track Pant - Gold - Tricot Jersey -
Flannel Shirt -> 7 Cuts Wide Shirt / Over Dye - Black -
Field Skirt - Olive - C/N Oxford -
Faux Fur Jacket - Beige - Acrylic Pile -
China Shirt - Rust - Abstract Jacquard -
China Shirt - Olive - Abstract Jacquard -
Cabana Shirt - Purple - Victorian Sheer -
Cabana Shirt - Grey - Victorian Jacquard -
C.C. Vest - Brown - Embroidery Satin -
Bandana - Red - Square -
Bandana - Red - Rectangle -
Bandana - Purple - Square -
Bandana - Purple - Rectangle -
Balloon Track Skirt - Black - Bright Jersey -
Balaclava - Grey - Merino Wool -
Balaclava - Beige - Merino Wool -
AWGE X Needles Track Pants
Quick Answer
Needles clothing is the output of a Japanese label founded in Tokyo in 1995 by Keizo Shimizu, best known for track pants and track jackets with contrast side tape and an embroidered papillon (butterfly). For a first purchase, I point most people to the H.D. Trackpants, then a matching Track Jacket.
- Signature piece: the track pant, cut in H.D., Narrow, straight and Boot-Cut fits.
- Sizing: Japanese sizing runs roughly one size smaller than US, so most people size up one.
- Price here: track pants from $200 to $299, track jackets from $191 to $349.
Key Takeaways
- Start with the pants: the track pant is the piece the label is built around, and the fit you choose shapes every outfit after it.
- H.D. is the statement fit: darts at the waist and hem push the volume out at the knee, which is what "hiza deru" describes.
- Narrow is the quiet fit: slim through the leg, easier under a coat, and the one I suggest to people who dislike wide trousers.
- Size up once: Japanese sizing runs small, and the drawcord waist forgives a size that is slightly generous.
- The jacket completes it: the papillon Track Jacket shares the taping language of the pants, so a set reads intentional rather than matched by accident.
Quick Links
- What the label actually is
- The order I would buy Needles in
- What I tell first-time Needles buyers
- How to choose your first piece
- The line-up compared
- Where to buy
- Frequently asked questions
What Needles Clothing Actually Is
Needles is a Japanese label that Keizo Shimizu founded in Tokyo in 1995. It sits inside the Nepenthes group, the same family that runs Engineered Garments, South2 West8 and the Nepenthes shops in Tokyo, New York and other cities. If you have ever seen a pair of track pants with a small embroidered butterfly on the thigh, you have seen Needles.
The label makes far more than sportswear: western shirts, cowboy jackets, knitwear, flannel and a reconstructed line called Rebuild by Needles. But when people search for Needles clothing, nine times out of ten they are looking for the track pants. That is the piece that travelled furthest outside Japan, and it is the piece that most of the range orbits. I wrote a longer history in the Needles clothing brand guide if you want the full background.
The design logic is consistent across seasons. Take a familiar American or sporting garment, keep its outline, then change one proportion, one fabric or one detail until it reads as Needles. The track pant gets darts and volume. The western shirt gets poly slub sateen and a butterfly on the back. It is a recognisable handwriting, and that is why the label has lasted.
The Order I Would Buy Needles Clothing In
I have helped a lot of people build a Needles wardrobe from nothing, and the sequence matters more than the colour. Here is the pecking order I use, with the pieces currently in stock.
1. One pair of H.D. Trackpants. This is the fit that made the label famous. The Needles H.D. Trackpants in Purple ($210) is the classic colour story: deep body, contrast tape, papillon on the thigh. If you want something darker to start, the H.D. Track Pants in Navy Blue ($245) goes with nearly everything. The full range lives in the H.D. track pants collection.
2. A slimmer second pair. Once you have the volume of the H.D., a slim pair gives you range. The Narrow Track Pants in Charcoal ($249) sits close to the leg and works under long coats. More options are in the narrow track pants collection.
3. The Track Jacket. The jacket carries the same striped taping on the sleeves and the same embroidered papillon. The Needles Track Jacket in Black ($220) is the most useful single jacket in the line, because black tape and black body go with any pant colour.
4. Something outside sportswear. After the track pieces, the wardrobe gets more personal: a Rebuild by Needles Flannel Ribbon Shirt ($299), made from several vintage flannel shirts sewn into one, or a collaboration pair. Browse Needles collaborations for those.
What I Tell First-Time Needles Buyers
I have bought and fitted Needles for years, and the same five conversations come up with almost every new client. The first is about volume. People see H.D. Trackpants on a hanger and assume they will look enormous. On the body, the darts at the waist and hem do their job: the fabric falls straight from the hip, balloons slightly around the knee, then narrows back in at the ankle. It reads as shaped, not baggy.
The second conversation is about sheen. The poly smooth fabric has a soft shine under indoor light that disappears outdoors. I tell people to judge it in daylight, not under a fitting room bulb. It drapes rather than holds a crease, so it moves when you walk. The Poly Smooth Track Pants in Black ($249) is the easiest way to see that in person.
The third is sizing, and it is where most mistakes happen. Japanese sizing runs roughly one size smaller than US sizing. A client who wears a US medium in most brands usually ends up in a large in Needles. The drawcord elastic waist gives adjustment, so the risk of sizing up is small, and the risk of sizing down is a pant that pulls across the seat. I keep a full walkthrough in the H.D. track pants sizing guide.
The fourth is washing. I wash my track pants cold, inside out, and hang them to dry. The embroidery on the papillon stays flat that way, and the tape keeps its colour. The fifth is what to wear them with, which I cover properly in the Needles track pants outfit guide. The short version: plain tops, clean sneakers or loafers, and let the pants do the talking.
One last observation from years of fittings. a Needles piece tends to look better the second season you own it. The fabric relaxes, the hem settles and you stop thinking about it as a statement. That is usually when people come back for a second pair.
How to Choose Your First Piece of Needles Clothing
- Decide how much volume you want. Wide and shaped means H.D.; slim means Narrow; somewhere in between means the straight Track Pant. The Needles track pants fits comparison goes through each one.
- Check your US size and go up one. Japanese sizing runs roughly one size smaller. If you sit between sizes, take the larger and use the drawcord.
- Look at the sizes stocked on the product page. Most pants here run S to XL, and a few collaboration pairs go down to XS.
- Pick a colour you will wear weekly. Black, navy and dark green are the workhorses. The best colours for Needles track pants guide covers the louder options.
- Add the jacket only if you will wear the set. A matched set is a strong look; decide if it suits your week before you buy both halves.
- Read the terms before ordering. Orders are processed straight away and cannot be changed or cancelled after placing, so confirm size and colour first.
The Needles Clothing Line-Up Compared
| Piece | Fit / Silhouette | Fabric | Sizes stocked | Price here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H.D. Trackpants | Wide, shaped by darts at waist and hem | Heavyweight jersey on many colourways | S, M, L, XL | $210 to $245 |
| Narrow Track Pants | Slim fit | Velour or poly, by colourway | S to XL (Charcoal S to L) | $249 |
| Track Pant (straight) | Straight fit | Poly smooth on many colourways | S, M, L, XL | $200 to $249 |
| Boot-Cut Track Pants | Seventies flare | Blended velour | S, M, L, XL | $249 |
| Track Jacket | Sporty, easy to layer | Varies by colourway, including velour | S to XL (some S to L) | $220 to $245 |
| Rebuild Flannel Ribbon Shirt | Reconstructed shirt | Several vintage flannel shirts | S, L | $299 |
For a straight-leg starting point, the Needles Track Pant in Dark Green ($210) is the one I reach for. Collaboration pairs such as the AWGE x Needles Track Pants ($249) use the same side-tape idea with a louder palette.
Where to Buy Needles Clothing
Every in-stock piece is in the full shop, and the grid above filters to this range specifically. If you already know you want pants, go straight to the Needles trackpants collection; for jackets, the Needles track jacket collection.
The store facts are simple. Standard shipping is free worldwide on every order, and a tracking number is emailed once the order ships. Estimated delivery is 6 to 27 business days depending on location and customs; the full detail is in the shipping policy. Unused, unwashed items with tags can be exchanged or swapped for store credit if you ask within 7 days of delivery, as set out in the refund policy. Cash refunds are not offered. If an item arrives wrong or defective, send photos within 48 hours of delivery for a replacement or store credit.
Buying two pairs of H.D. Track Pants? The Two-Pair Set brings two pairs to $336 and three pairs to $472.50. Questions go to [email protected], and replies usually land within 48 hours; the store FAQ covers the common ones. If you want to know who writes these guides and how I test the pieces, read about Ren Aoki. For a plain look at the store itself, see is needles-jp legit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Needles clothing known for?
Needles clothing is known above all for its track pants and track jackets, marked by contrast striped side tape and a small embroidered papillon, or butterfly, on the thigh or chest. The H.D. fit, wide and shaped by darts at the waist and hem, is the most recognised silhouette. Beyond sportswear, the Tokyo label makes western shirts, cowboy jackets, knitwear and reconstructed Rebuild by Needles flannel.
Does Needles clothing run small?
Yes. Needles uses Japanese sizing, which runs roughly one size smaller than typical US sizing. Most people size up one for a relaxed fit, especially in the track pants, where a too-small size pulls across the seat. The drawcord elastic waist gives you room to adjust, so if you sit between two sizes, the larger one is usually the safer choice.
What should I buy first from Needles?
I suggest starting with a pair of H.D. Trackpants in a colour you will wear every week, such as black, navy or purple. It is the silhouette the label is built around, and it teaches you how Needles sizing sits on your body. After that, add a slimmer Narrow pair or the papillon Track Jacket, depending on whether you want range or a matching set.