Even at a glance, this bag stands out due to its weave and coloring.
Many customers at our SHU. storefront pick up these bags out of curiosity. As such, we would like to introduce these products from textiletells.
Washi woven bag
The cloth strangely feels like neither just cloth, nor leather.
The design is cool and stylish, yet somehow warm and inviting.
The first impression anyone may have when encountering this bag is that it is unique.
The reasons behind this originality lies in the material used for the bag.
This material is Japanese paper!
Made in Kyoto, this water-resistant and durable washi paper is slit into a string shape about 5mm wide,then woven carefully into a fabric by a craftsman.
Ms. Sano, the textile designer/artist who established this brand and handles everything from design to production, says, “There are only a few craftspeople who can do this anymore.I was moved by the sight of the old russet knitting machines used by craftsmen, who are now few and far between.I was fascinated by this rare and unique material.”
This paper is lightweight, water-resistant and durable, and has excellent practicality as a material for bags.
Bold drawings, hand painted with delicate colors.
Another feature of textiletells products is the hand painting on the surface.
Ms. Sano herself boldly paints with hands and palette knife, paying close attention to the unevenness of the marks.
This material, which is both paper and cloth, is like a canvas for painting.
The materials used for painting are pigments used to print patterns on clothing.
The pigments are exquisite in color, texture, viscosity, and lamé luster and are also highly durable. They are produced by a dyeing factory that also produces products for department store apparel.
The Japanese, harmonious colors are delicate and gentle, yet powerful, leaving a lasting impression, even from afar.
This may be one of the charms that attract you to this bag.
textiletells brand story
Textile designer Akiyo Sano works for a textile design office in Kyoto.
She draws custom designs for apparel brands based in department stores and produces printed textiles through a dyeing factory in Kyoto.
In the course of her daily work, she developed a desire to further promote the fun of fabrics.
An inspiring encounter with unusual and unknown fabrics was the trigger for the launch of this brand. It was named after the coined phrase “textiletells”, meaning “the cloth speaks”.
Ms. Sano says that she wants to make products that people can look forward to using tomorrow and continue to think, “This is wonderful.”
She continues to create products that have a mysterious power over the people who look forward to tomorrow, revitalizing them.
gamaguchi bag "hakama"
This shoulder bag with a clasp closure can hold a smartphone and small accessories.
The shoulder strap is made of cowhide leather and can be adjusted to six different lengths. It can also be removed.
The main body is made of water-resistant paper thread and has a small pocket inside for ease of use.
The lower part of the bag is hand painted with pigments by the designer, Mr. Sano himself. Each piece is painted one by one to not only add design, but also increase the bag’s durability.
At textiletells, we call this hand-painted design on the bottom of the bag “Hakama”.
There are two colors available in our store: vermilion and white.
The vermilion color is our original color and was invented by Ms. Sano, named after the store SHU (Japanese for “vermilion”).
Indigo Dye Series
The indigo-dyed series uses indigo-dyed Japanese fabric to make the bags, so the indigo color on the surface of each bag is different.
This makes each bag unique and gives it its charm.
The indigo dye used for the textiletells brand, called “Japan blue”, is a chemical-free indigo.
The dyeing solution is made using only sukumo (fermented indigo leaves), lye (a mixture of wood ash and hot water), shell ash, wheat bran (the outer skin of wheat), and sake, an ancient Japanese dyeing method called "natural lye fermentation".
The indigo dyeing of textiletells’s Japanese fabrics is done by Mr. Nishimura of Draw Dots Dawn, a craftsman who does everything from indigo cultivation to dyeing in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto.
This bag is dyed with a random pattern, a technique called Murakumo Dyeing. There are also other designs that utilize the beautiful gradation of blue by using different dyeing methods.
The colors of nature also express the beauty that is essential to textiletells’s bags.
*This item is only available in stores.
Indigo Dyeing Experience!
A journey of exploration that began with curiosity about indigo
My name is Kimura, the owner of the store. When I saw textiletells' bags for the first time, I wondered where this indigo color, which has no dullness, came from.
This spring, my family and I participated in an indigo seed planting event hosted by Mr. Nishimura of Draw Dots Dawn, who dyed the bag fabric with indigo.
He shared his seeds with us, and we decided to bring them home to grow in a planter. At the same time, I also had the opportunity to participate in an online course titled “Love Indigo”, which Nishimura-san was teaching, and decided to explore indigo.
The Road to Japan Blue
Indigo is the world's oldest natural dye and is found in various countries and regions. It was introduced to Japan via the Silk Road about 1,200 years ago, and through the ages it has been integrated into the Japanese ethnic culture. It is said that the Izumo tribe was the first to dye indigo in Japan. Originally, it was used for clothing of the nobility, but by the Edo period (1603-1867), cotton cultivation became popular and indigo dyeing became the most common method of dyeing cotton. It is the color most familiar to common people's clothing, and because of its functionality, it was used in those days for everything from baby clothes to firemen's jackets. Indigo has excellent antibacterial, insecticide, fire prevention, and heat retention properties, and is used as an herbal medicine in addition to dyeing. Then, when Japan opened its borders to the outside world in the modern era, the color of indigo often seen on people's clothes was called “Japan blue”.
Growing Indigo and Dyeing with Indigo
Tate indigo, used for indigo dyeing in Japan, is an annual plant. When sown in spring, it grows rapidly during the rainy season and summer, provided it is in a place with good sunlight and watered appropriately so that the soil does not dry out. When the plant grows and becomes leafy, the stems are cut off, leaving the stems 10cm above the ground, and the leaves are used for dyeing. The leaves then grow back from the remaining stems and can be used for dyeing again. However, the leaves from the second or third time contain pigments said to be lighter than those of the first time.
Tataki Dyeing and Fresh Leaf Dyeing!
The indigo at home had grown enough to be used for indigo dyeing, and the timing was perfect for the children to try indigo dyeing during their summer vacation. We tried two types of indigo dyeing using fresh indigo leaves: tataki dyeing and fresh-leaf dyeing.
Tataki Dyeing (hemp, cotton, silk, wool)
- Place the leaves on the fabric of your choice, and fix the area with cellophane tape so that it covers the entire area to be dyed. Place it on a hard surface such as a board or the ground.
- Tap the leaves firmly with a mallet or hammer from above so that the fibers of the leaves are broken and moisture soaks into the fabric.
- When the dye is visible on the reverse side of the fabric, remove the tape and the leaves.
- Expose the fabric to air for at least 15 minutes, as it will turn blue when exposed to air.
- Wash and dry.
Fresh leaf dyeing (silk and wool)
- Prepare 13 times as much water as the weight of freshly picked indigo leaves (in this case, 23g of leaves and 300g of water).
- Tear the leaves into small pieces with a mixer or by hand, and mix them with the water.
- Remove the leaves quickly with a colander, and soak the cloth in the dye solution for 15 minutes.
- After draining and exposing to air for 15 minutes, rinse in cold water until no more color comes out, then dry.
Conclusion
Both of these are my first attempts, but I was able to dye them easily and beautifully using indigo leaves! The other day, I was told by a frequent kimono wearer that indigo-dyed threads are woven into Nishijin-ori obi to protect the silk fabric from insects. I feel that the charm of indigo lies not only in its beautiful colors, but also in its practical use that makes the most of its functions. Today, we do not have many opportunities to wear natural indigo-dyed clothes, but I would like to incorporate more Japan blue into our daily lives. I would like to continue to enjoy dyeing with indigo leaves for a while longer and to love indigo without reserve until the pink flowers bloom in the fall and the last seeds are harvested.