Samurai - Heavy Weight "Down Below" Printed T-shirt Light Grey [SMT26-101]

The Samurai SMT26-101 “Down Below” Tee takes the brand’s heavyweight T-shirt platform and gives it a graphic drawn directly from Samurai’s own automotive interests. Made in Japan from a dense slub cotton jersey, it combines the substantial feel and irregular texture of Samurai’s core tees with artwork based on the lowrider displayed at the brand’s headquarters.

The fabric begins with carefully selected cotton spun into thick No. 14 slub yarn. Because the yarn deliberately varies in thickness, the finished jersey has a noticeably uneven surface rather than the smooth uniformity of a conventional T-shirt. It feels substantial from the beginning, but the natural character of the cotton allows it to soften and become more comfortable with repeated wear.

Samurai knits the fabric slowly on vintage Daimaruki circular knitting machines dating from Japan’s early Showa era. These older machines work at a much slower pace than modern industrial equipment, allowing the thick single yarn to retain more of its natural irregularity. The result is a dense jersey that combines a firm, reassuring hand with a surprising amount of softness and flexibility.

The “Down Below” artwork reflects Samurai’s longstanding interest in vintage Japanese automobiles. A lowrider customized car is displayed at the company’s headquarters, and the graphic recreates distinctive details from that vehicle. It is another example of Samurai pulling inspiration from its own world rather than simply applying a generic graphic to one of its T-shirts.

Construction is finished with a triple needle binder neck sewn using a specialized three needle, one drop machine. The reinforced collar is designed to resist stretching and maintain its shape through repeated wear, an important detail on a heavier T-shirt where the weight of the fabric can otherwise place additional stress around the neckline.

Finished in Light Grey, the lighter body makes both the slubby surface of the fabric and the Down Below artwork particularly visible. As the cotton softens and settles with wear, the irregular yarn should become even more apparent, giving the shirt a slightly more lived-in appearance without losing the substantial feel that defines Samurai’s heavyweight T-shirt series.

Made in Japan.

Key Features

• 100% cotton

• Samurai heavyweight slub jersey

• Thick No. 14 slub cotton yarn

• Carefully selected cotton

• Naturally irregular, textured surface

• Slowly knitted on vintage Daimaruki circular machines

• Early Showa era knitting machinery

• Dense, substantial fabric

• Firm yet supple hand that softens with wear

• “Down Below” automotive graphic

• Artwork based on the lowrider displayed at Samurai’s headquarters

• Inspired by Samurai’s interest in vintage Japanese automobiles

• Triple needle binder neck

• Specialized three needle, one drop collar construction

• Designed to gain softness and texture with wear

• Light Grey colourway

• Made in Japan

• Style SMT26-101

• Also available in Black, Navy and White
• See more from T-shirts
• Shop more styles from Samurai Jeans

Fabric & Care

100% cotton heavyweight slub jersey.

The thick No. 14 slub yarn creates natural variations in thickness throughout the fabric, giving the shirt a textured surface rather than a perfectly smooth finish. The jersey begins dense and substantial but is designed to become softer and more comfortable through repeated wear and washing.

Wash cold, preferably inside out, with similar colours and hang dry to help preserve the shape of the garment and printed artwork.

Fit

Standard Samurai Japanese T-shirt fit.

The SMT26-101 is Samurai’s standard version rather than a Western “W” cut. Samurai specifies that its regular models are patterned around Japanese sizing, while styles carrying a “W” suffix have a slightly larger silhouette for international customers.

We recommend comparing the garment measurements against a T-shirt you already own and like the fit of before choosing your size.

Samurai SMT26-101 Down Below Tee in Light Grey, made in Japan from heavyweight No. 14 slub cotton with a lowrider inspired graphic.

Garment measurements taken flat before wash. Compare against a piece you already own and love.

Canada: free Standard shipping over $300 CAD, otherwise $19.99 in BC and $24.99 to the rest of Canada. Express is $33 flat. Tracked courier, 1 to 4 business days.

United States: free Standard shipping over $350 USD, otherwise $25.99 USD. Express is $30 USD.

Returns: read our Return Policy for full details on returns and exchanges.