From Earthquake to Aloha: A Shirt Brand's Ecommerce Journey
In 2011, a devastating earthquake struck northeastern Japan, upending lives and livelihoods. Amidst the heartbreak, one local company found an innovative way to support their community and tell a unique brand story through ecommerce. Their idea: upcycle unused and damaged kimonos into stylish aloha shirts.
As a copywriter subcontracted by a Tokyo-based marketing agency, I had the opportunity to help bring their vision to life through persuasive, localized web copy and content. The experience reinforced key lessons about ecommerce writing that apply to businesses of all sizes.
Localizing a Unique Brand Story
At first glance, traditional Japanese kimonos and Hawaiian-style aloha shirts may seem an unlikely pairing. But therein lies the magic of this brand's story and value proposition.
With fewer people in modern Japan wearing kimonos regularly, many households have closets full of increasingly unused garments. Some suffer damage over time. Rather than see these beautiful fabrics go to waste, this forward-thinking company found a creative solution to give them new life.
Upcycling the kimonos into aloha shirts accomplishes several goals:
It reduces textile waste.
It preserves elements of traditional Japanese craftsmanship and design.
It supports local artisans with fair wages and dignified work.
It resonates with modern consumers who value sustainability and heritage.
Effectively communicating this multi-faceted brand story to English-speaking audiences required thoughtful localization. As the copywriter, I adapted the original Japanese text to capture the casual spirit of aloha shirts while honoring the deeper cultural roots and social impact.
Building the Ecommerce Presence
With a compelling brand story established, we set to build an ecommerce store on Shopify that would engage customers and drive sales. Several elements were vital:
Web Design: The look and feel needed to be clean, attractive, and easy to navigate. It had to convey the aloha shirts' bright, upbeat nature while nodding to the Japanese origins. We collaborated with the web development team to dial this in.
Product Photos: Since the kimono fabric is the heart of the products' appeal, strong visuals were essential. We organized a stylish photo and video shoot featuring local models to showcase the vibrant colors and patterns. These assets really made the products pop.
Product Descriptions: For the item copy, I aimed to vividly describe the unique details of the material, craftsman techniques, and styling of each shirt. The copy emphasized the one-of-a-kind nature of the upcycled kimono fabric, making each shirt feel like a rare treasure.
Size and Fit Information: As with any apparel brand, helping customers find the right size is crucial for satisfaction and reducing returns. We made sure to clearly list garment dimensions and sizing specifics, along with a general fit guide, on each product page.
About and FAQ Pages: Shoppers want to feel confident they're buying from a trustworthy business. To build credibility and connection, I fleshed out the About Us page with more details on the company's origins, values, and processes. To provide reassurance, the FAQ addressed common customer questions about product care, shipping, returns, etc.
Refund and Shipping Policies: For these more technical, legally important pages, the copy aimed to be crystal clear above all else. I reworked the provided policies to be easy to read and understand while still covering the company's needs.
Copywriting Example
Below is a brief excerpt from a product details page to illustrate how I rewrote the direct translations from the original Japanese to be optimal for the target audience.
Direct Translation
One-of-a-kind aloha shirt tailored from vintage kimono fabric. A piece that will accentuate your spring and summer outfits. The bamboo buttons give the shirt the warm impression of an aloha shirt, while the beautifully finished style is tailored with fold-down stitching at the sides and center of the back, making it a genuine high-end aloha shirt. It can be worn alone with the front buttons fastened or lightly worn over a tee shirt. Please enjoy the freedom of styling to suit your own personal style. All aloha shirts are carefully cut, washed, and sewn one by one at a sewing factory in the Tohoku region. They are unisex and can be worn by both men and women.
The Rewrite
Unique, one-of-a-kind aloha shirt crafted from vintage kimono fabric. This piece is sure to add a pop of style to your spring and summer outfits. The bamboo buttons give the aloha shirt a warm, inviting look while maintaining a clean, polished appearance. Expertly tailored with folded and stitched sides and center back, this is an authentic premium-quality aloha shirt.
You can wear it buttoned up on its own or as a light layer over a T-shirt. Feel free to style it in your own unique way to complement your personal fashion sense. Each and every one of our aloha shirts is carefully cut, washed, and sewn by skilled artisans and sewing factories in Northeastern Japan before making its way to you. This unisex shirt can be worn and enjoyed by both men and women.
Why It’s Better
The rewrite is better for a few key reasons:
It has a smoother, more natural flow and reads less like a direct translation. The sentences are structured in a more fluid, native-English way.
It clarifies specific details to paint a clearer picture, like specifying that the sewing factories are in "Northeastern Japan" rather than just the "Tohoku region."
It uses more vivid, evocative language to sell the shirt's uniqueness and quality, with phrases like "expertly tailored," "skilled artisans," and "add a pop of style."
It engages the reader more directly, saying, "This piece is sure to..." and "Feel free to style it your way..." This helps the reader envision themselves wearing the shirt.
While conveying the same core information, the rewrite condenses and omits some extraneous details, making it punchier and more impactful as a product description.
It cleans up some slight awkwardness, like changing "worn alone with the front buttons fastened" to "worn buttoned up on its own."
In summary, the rewrite takes the same key points but expresses them in a way that's more engaging, clear, concise, and accessible for an English-speaking audience to connect with. The language is more colorful and highlights the selling points of the unique Aloha shirt.
Outcome: Ecommerce Success
The thoughtful approach to the web copy and overall ecommerce strategy paid off. The visually engaging site and compelling storytelling helped the brand connect with its target customers.
Some of the wins included:
Attracting press coverage in Japan and internationally
Building a loyal fanbase, especially among heritage and sustainable fashion enthusiasts
Generating buzz on social media, where the distinctive products and mission were a natural fit
Meeting sales goals to support the artisans and business
Beyond the metrics, it felt rewarding to spotlight a small business doing such meaningful work - economically and environmentally - for its community.
Takeaways for Ecommerce Businesses
Even if your product isn't as unique as upcycled kimono shirts, I believe the lessons from this project can apply to ecommerce more broadly:
Invest in your brand story. A powerful origin story or mission helps you stand out and connect with customers on a deeper level. If you have a strong reason for being, make it front and center in your copy.
Localize thoughtfully. If you're trying to reach audiences with different languages and cultural reference points, go beyond basic translation. Consider adapting your messaging to resonate while staying true to your voice.
Prioritize clarity and credibility. Anticipate customer questions, concerns, and hesitations. Use your copy to proactively address those issues and build trust. The more confident shoppers feel, the more likely they are to buy.
Showcase your products. Use vivid descriptions and compelling visuals to highlight your items' unique features and benefits. Excellent copy and photos go a long way in driving ecommerce sales.
Tell your story everywhere. From your homepage to your shipping policy, every page is an opportunity to reinforce your brand narrative and values. A cohesive story woven throughout the site makes a more memorable impression.
Ecommerce writing is part science, part art. But when you lead with a genuine passion for your products and get creative in highlighting what makes them unique, you can compel, persuade, and convert more shoppers into buyers.
