Kinton Ramen is positioning itself at the crossroads of Japanese food and fashion.

The restaurant chain has partnered with Uniqlo to use the Japanese clothing retailer’s UTme! on-demand printing platform for a wearable-art activation featuring designs by Tanya Mu of Tonton Art.

Alan De Luna, senior marketing manager at Kinton, tells strategy that the collaboration with Uniqlo highlights both brands’ focus on quality, consistency and simplicity.

“It just made sense. We’re a Canadian brand serving Japanese-style ramen, and Uniqlo – being a Japanese brand themselves – understands that cultural connection,” De Luna says. “Ramen is still a relatively new category in the Canadian mainstream, but it’s catching on quickly … It’s the kind of food that starts as a curiosity and becomes part of people’s everyday routines. We’ve watched that play out city by city.”

It’s been a busy few years for Kinton, which now has a presence in five provinces after recently opening stores in Alberta and Manitoba. Founded by chef Aki Urata in Toronto in 2012, Kinton has grown to include 50 locations in its nationwide chain.

“This wasn’t just a campaign – it was a signal. That we can step into new spaces, collaborate with global brands and still feel true to our roots,” De Luna says. “It’s been amazing to see how far the founder’s vision has come – powered by a team that really believes in what we’re building.”

The collection of customizable T-shirts and tote bags will be available exclusively at Uniqlo locations at Eaton Centre and Yorkdale Mall in Toronto and at Metropolis at Metrotown in Vancouver.

De Luna says the Toronto-based artist Mu’s prior experience working in the Toronto food and fashion spaces, including Uniqlo cross-brand campaigns with Sanremo and Oven Theory bakeries last year, made her the right choice to be Kinton’s featured artist.

“When she started sketching right in front of us during an early meeting, we were genuinely impressed,” De Luna says. “At a time when AI art is everywhere, this felt like a clear pivot in the opposite direction. It was a reminder of why it matters to back local artists with real perspective and roots in the community.”