Though it's decades old, the hidden-gem Japanese leather brand Y'2 is little known despite crafting some of the finest, most covetable – and rarest – jackets and clothing in the category. Y'2 is an Osaka-based, family-owned small business that has forged direct relationships with tanners in order to consistently produce innovative goods that most makers would find nearly impossible to match. The most complete selection of Y'2 jackets in the U.S. is available through one of our absolute favorite retailers: Standard & Strange , the boutique marketplace purveying ethically-made, well-built clothing and goods. The retailer is dedicated to "world style customer service" and provides expert leather jacket sizing guidance – if you plan to purchase, we can't recommend enough that you give their team a call. Read on for a rundown of what makes Y'2 your new grail-level brand. Y'2: A Little-Known Brand Making Incredible, Innovative Leather Goods Based in a small factory near Osaka Castle, Y'2 cuts and sews every single piece of its products. That hands-on attention to detail is a hallmark of the brand, whose expertise is put to use crafting some of the most challenging kinds of leather goods imaginable. One Y'2 material of choice is "shrunken eco-horse," a heavyweight hide that takes special know-how to manipulate, and most impressive is the brand's extensive use of indigo-dyed horsehide. Take, for instance, the Y'2 Indigo Dyed Horsehide Single Riders Jacket ($1,625), which Standard & Strange describe as a "must-purchase." Featuring an adjustable fit and streamlined 'moto' silhouette, the jacket is simultaneously unobtrusive and intensely eye-catching – especially with those patina-ready brass buckle details. Among the brand's other masterfully unique leather goods is the embossed Oil Soft Horse x Horse Light Shirt ($1,120), an embellished overshirt that is as supple as it is striking. Lined with a cotton/linen blend and cut to be worn like a light jacket, this button-front shirt is constructed of 1mm-thick "Oil Soft Horse" leather that's supple from day one and features 1mm-thick "Horse Light" leather trim that's embossed with classic western paisley patterns. As a modern update of a century-old design, the Y'2 Eco Horse 1930's Double Motorcycle Jacket ($1,870) is instantly recognizable as an icon of heritage artistry and inimitable toughness. Made to last "several lifetimes," the moto jacket features double-row stitching and stainless steel hardware, which complement 1.8mm-thick "Eco Horse" leather that Standard & Strange refer to as "no joke." Tanned and shrunken to boost its strength, the material is "nigh-impenetrable" – its subtle grain texture and light shine belie an intensely rugged, heirloom-quality garment that's built like a tank. Crafting Indigo-Dyed Horsehide Takes Incredible Skill What sets Y'2 apart from other extremely high-end makers is about much more than innovative designs and intimate attention to detail. Especially impressive is the brand's extensive use of indigo-dyed horsehide. Indigo dying leather is a complex process; horsehide is even more difficult, owing to its density and inherent textural qualities. Creating jackets with deep blue hues takes incredible skill and experience. After "years of trial and error," a tanner that provides Y'2 with blue-hued material overcame many of the challenges associated with indigo-dyeing hides and can consistently produce striking leather that is made to fade like fine denim. As a result, no two Y'2 jackets are exactly the same, and they only become more unique with wear. Shop Now