Ancient Echigo-jofu Cloth for Kimono "Igeta Kasuri on Unbleached Fabric"

Echigo jofu

Echigo jōfu (“Echigo fine cloth”) is a fabric with a long history, made from the fibers of the perennial plant ramie (choma, or karamushi). The fabric is woven on a simple backstrap loom, which allows the weaver to adjust the tightness of the warp (vertical threads) using a strap around the weaver’s waist. The design is created by arranging the alignment of the weft (horizontal threads). The woven cloth is then softened by kneading the fabric in hot water, and naturally bleached by laying it out over snow on a sunny winter day. The finished colored fabrics take on a more subdued tone, while the white fabrics are bleached a brighter white, resulting in a high-quality fabric for summer kimono.