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Research Unit

Plunge Neck Caftan (Black)

Plunge Neck Caftan (Black)

Regular price R1,899
Regular price Sale price R1,899
Sale Sold out
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Shipping Time and Returns

Orders delivered within 5-8 working days due to our hand-made finish.

Free delivery in South Africa.

When an order has been placed, we will proceed to hand-finish your piece.

Delivered to your door.

  • 1 free return or exchange in South Africa
  • Full refunds on unworn, undamaged garments within 7 days of delivery. 

*International orders - We deliver to USA. Shipping is calculated at checkout. We cover all import duties!

International Orders Delivered within 10-15 working days due to our hand-made finish.

We also deliver parts of the EU, Scandanavia and the UK with integrated shipping rates. Duties and Taxes might be charged in your country and you will need to pay these costs before receiving your order.

We do not offer returns or exchanges on international orders. Please note that you may be charged taxes and customs by the country of entry.  These charges are out of our control and are destination specific.

Made from Superior Quality Technical Fabric. It’s an effortless, chic and comfortable piece. It has an angelic flow as you walk with it being slightly dropped at the back. It has a flattering plunge neck, making it versatile to wear for both business and pleasure. It's short, folded turn up sleeve makes it the ultimate everyday Caftan for a more relaxed look. Pair with a polo neck for Winter  or on it’s own in the Summer. It’s a comfortable holiday piece, relaxed, with sneakers or summer sandals for that ultimate beach look or belted with heels for a work/business look.

  • Fabric is Superior Quality Technical Fabric  
  • Water-repellent 
  • Fabric is also breathable and adjusts to temperature of your body
  • Caftan is short sleeved and can also be worn as a throw-over
  • Dropped back detail 
  • Relaxed or caftan-like fit
  • Durable enough for machine wash
  • Made by skilled individuals from communities in Cape Town
  • Model wears S/M
  • Size Advice |S/M Waist 144cm Shoulders 61cm Bust 142cm Sleeve Length 36cm Front Length 112cm Dropped Back Length 129cm 
  • Size Advice| L/XL Waist 144cm Shoulders 68cm Bust 148cm Sleeve Length 36cm Front Length 112cm Dropped Back Length 129cm  

  *Click here for size guide.

Fabric Properties

TECHINICAL FABRIC
The wide range of functionality in technical Fabric is due to extensive research and development as well as innovation in the industry. Today, we can engineer a technical fabric to possess the precise characteristics and qualities for optimal everyday wear and durability. Although normal technical fabric can easily be sourced, superior quality can be rare to find.

PROPERTIES OF TECHNICAL FABRIC

1. ANTI-BACTERIAL
2. WASH & WEAR
3. RESISTANCE TO THE ELEMENTS
4. NO IRONING
5. QUICK DRYING
6. ARASION RESISTANT
7. BREATHABLE
8. ENVIROMENTAL FOOTPRINT

Most technical fabrics end products experience a fair amount of exposure to the elements. Therefore, resistance to weather and environmental conditions is crucial, including sunlight and UV radiation, extremely high or low environmental temperatures. Resistance to bacterial growth is an important property for many technical fabric. It is the moral and legal responsibility of all businesses to minimize the environmental impact of their processes and products. You must consider the ecological impact of the material you select to ensure compliance with the prevailing environmental standards without compromising on the overall durability to ensure the product lasts as long as possible by enhancing the quality. You can also invest in processes that repurpose/recycle the products after their functional lifecycle.

COTTON & LINEN BLEND
For years, clothing manufacturers discovered the excellent benefits of blended fabrics versus single fabric material. Besides the minimal production costs, it also allows better appearance and strength of the textile while ensuring more comfortable care.

PROPERTIES OF COTTON & LINEN BLEND
The softness and smoothness of cotton resolve the roughness and skin friction issues of linen. On the other hand, the lightness of the cotton material is shouldered by the linen's stiffness. These blends and their unusual combination make it a perfect choice for summer clothing.
1.EASY TO DEFORM, ANTI-STATIC, AND NO ROLLING AND EDGE ISSUES.
2. SINCE THEY ARE NATURAL-BASED, THESE FABRICS ARE BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL-FRIENDLY.
3. AIR-PERMEABLE.
4. THE WARMTH EFFECT OF THIS FABRIC HELPS THE WEARER ACHIEVE BETTER SLEEP QUALITY.
5. THIS FABRIC IS A GUARANTEED SKIN-FRIENDLY FABRIC. BESIDES BEING ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY, IT PASSES THE INDIVIDUAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS.


COTTON POPLIN

Poplin is a durable, lightweight cotton fabric, with a close/tight weave, which is soft to touch. It has a crisp feel and is less prone to creasing than some more traditional cotton fabrics.


COTTON POPLIN PROPERTIES
1. IT IS THIN AND BREATHABLE.
2. IT ABSORBS MOISTURE AND DRIES QUICKLY.
3. IT DOES NOT RETAIN ODOURS.
4. HYPOALLERGENIC, IT IS PERFECT FOR SENSITIVE SKIN.
5. DEPENDING ON THICKNESS, THIS FABRIC CAN BE TRANSPARENT OR OPAQUE.
6. IT IS CRISP AND SMOOTH.
7. IT IS STRONG AND WEAR-RESISTANT.
8. IT IS NOT CLINGY.


SOFT SATIN
Satin uses long filament fibres which are woven in a very taut fashion, the resulting material is stronger than many plain weave fabrics

SOFT SATIN PROPERTIES

1. DURABLE.
2. WRINKLE-RESISTANT.
3. BREATHABLE
4. HIGH QUALITY

Please be aware that the fabric can snags easily. The threads can get easily caught in a satin weave, which leaves to unappealing snags. Can also be clingy on the skin.

Difficult to work with. Since satin is soft and slippery, it can be unforgiving in the sewing process making it quite rare for a quality piece.

DENIM


Japanese denim is in a league of its own. Japanese denim is the luxury choice that will elevate your closet. It’s a hidden gem of the fashion industry and one of the best-kept secrets for plus-size fashion.

Japanese denim is an artisan craft that uses traditional dyeing techniques to create garments that will stand the test of time. The beauty of Japanese denim is that it molds to your body to create the perfect fit.  

 Japanese denim is a luxury because of the craftsmanship behind it. It is made on vintage looms that are 60 to 80 years old with denim production considered an artisan craft. The vintage looms create ‘selvedge denim’, another term used interchangeably to describe Japanese denim. The edges are wrapped in a red thread, whereas Western denim is frayed and left unfinished.

Japanese denim has a rich heritage and continues to be viewed as an artisanal craft that focuses on quality over quantity. While most of us view denim as workwear or casual wear, Japanese denim takes a more refined approach.

 What makes Japanese denim more expensive is its width. This denim is woven to a 31” width, half that of non-selvedge denim. The vintage looms can only be operated by skilled artisans who are trained to work with specialist machinery. These looms create a tighter weave that is unique to each piece of denim.

Care Guide

A fundamental role we take to informing customers about how to care for their products to prolong their pieces. Find below our care instructions for each of our products below:

TECHNICAL FABRIC | Your Ripstop or Technical garment can be machine washed to a maximum of 40˚C however, we recommend a 30˚C wash with short spin or drip dry. You can also gently hand wash your item; rinse thoroughly and then drip dry on the washing line.

COTTON POPLIN | Wash at 40˚ C, using non-bio liquid and wash the fabric before use, as it is likely to shrink. Iron using the appropriate setting for cotton on your iron. Dry naturally. or tumble dry on a low setting.

COTTON LINEN BLEND | Wash at 40˚ C, using non-bio liquid and wash the fabric before use, as it is likely to shrink. Iron using the appropriate setting for cotton on your iron. Dry naturally. or tumble dry on a low setting.

COTTON SINGLE KNIT JERSEY ( T-SHIRTS) | Single Jersey knit/ Brushed Fleece can be hand washed or machine washed at 40˚ C. Handwashing, however is always the best and safest method for washing jersey. For Machine Wash, turn the item inside out, and place it in a Mesh Washing Bag Bundle. Lay the item flat in its natural shape on a drying rack or hang to dry, or tumble dry on the low setting.

100% SILK and SILK BLEND| Dry Clean Only is recommended  as silk has a tendency to shrink and become hard.Iron using the appropriate setting for silk on your iron. Dry naturally. No tumble drying

SOFT SATIN | Cold wash or Dry-Clean ( recommended) using non-bio liquid and wash the fabric before use. Iron using the appropriate setting for silk on your iron. Dry naturally. No tumble drying 

CANVAS AND LEATHER | Canvas can be spot cleaned with cold water or a mild soap (not detergent) for tough stains. Do not machine wash. Be sure to test your soap or any cleaner in a small area of your bag as it could change the bag's color slightly. When spot cleaning let bag dry in the shade, not full sun.

LEATHER | Can be polished with a neutral leather cream or wax to maintain the  colour and and prevent it from drying. 

WOOL and WOOL BLEND  | Turn wool clothes inside-out. Wash on the delicate cycle (or wool cycle or hand wash cycle, if your washer features these settings). Use cold water and a mild liquid detergent. Add an extra rinse to the wash cycle. To avoid shrinking, don't put wool clothing in the dryer. Do not tumble dry and no warm Water.

COTTON TWILL | For best care we recommend cold gentle machine wash with like colours at 40˚ C  use quality laundry liquid/powder, wash inside out to protect print. Do not soak, wring, rub, bleach or tumble dry. Dry flat or on hanger. Warm iron on reverse side.

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OUR QUALITY GUARANTEE

Research Unit has high-quality standards even on the most basic item of clothing. We work closely with our machinists and we rigorously check each garment before approving it to sell. We, therefore offer a quality guarantee on our all our clothing pieces and accessories. The guarantee covers unravelling of stitching, hand work, such as fallen rivets and unforeseen markings incurred during our production process. Each rivet, screw, buttons, pop-buttons, has been pressed in by hand. This makes every product unique and therefore special and we strive to offer you a high-quality product at all times. It does not cover wear and tear over time, negligence by not obeying the care instructions as set out in the materials and care section of the description of our products. We will however assist you in any way we can by allowing options to repair your bag or clothing piece to its initial state should the above occur.

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