The Sashiko Gals are once again bringing their hand-stitched charm to New Balance’s dad shoes but this time, it’s official. This time, the crafty grannies are joining New Balance as part of a larger project called "Crafted for the Future," with aims to foster the talents of young sashiko artists. 

Sashiko, which translates to "little stabs," is a centuries-old hand-stitching technique that the Sashiko Gals have reestablished as perhaps the coolest (and certainly most time-consuming sneaker customization technique in the biz. This New Balance collection is a smart middle ground between heritage and the now, epitomized by Made in USA 1300JP sneakers and a varsity jacket made better through the touch of the Sashiko Gals. Previous Sashiko Gals New Balances were one-offs but here we have a sneaker giant finally recognizing the genius of the gals with a proper team-up.

Here, New Balance's 1300JP sneaker, a rare gem that only drops every five years, is transformed into something even more special through sashiko stitching and patches of textured fabric.

But beyond elevating Americana with Japanese excellence, this partnership is more about what comes after.

Only two pairs of the sneakers and four jackets will be made available to purchase through a lottery system with all proceeds donated to the Sashiko World Championship, a program created to nurture the next generation of sashiko artists.

Formed in the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the Sashiko Gals are a collective of 15 women, ages 40 to 80, from Ōtsuchi, Japan, looking to rebuild in the face of tragedy. In the process, they introduced the sneaker world at large to the beauty of hand-stitched sashiko.

"I have a feeling that the traditional Japanese techniques look very cool to people around the world," Arata Fujiwara, founder of Kuon and organizer of the Sashiko Gals, told Highsnobiety. Forget dad shoes. These women are putting granny shoes on the map in a very big way—all thanks to the art of sashiko.

Through their craft, the Sashiko Gals weave centuries of cultural craft through special edition shoes transformed into little works of art. Their most high-profile pair is probably the Nike Vomero Plus the Gals stitched up for Apple CEO Tim Cook, a minor triumph of visibility.

Visibility is what it’s all about, even with this New Balance collaboration. Shoes that look good are one thing. But shoes that do good? Well, that's what the work is really about.

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