From Backpacker to Textile Dye Factory CEO

Please tell us about the beginnings of your business.

Sakai City has been a town rooted in the dyeing industry for over 100 years. Our company used roll printing (nassen) to dye cotton diapers and nightwear made of wazarashi. Wazarashi is gentle enough to touch a baby's skin. As times changed, the demand for these products decreased, and in the 1990s, we transitioned to dyeing tenugui. Roll printing allows for mass production compared to hand dyeing.

Japan has a culture from the Edo period where companies give customers "New Year Towel" gifts, but in the 1990s, tenugui were often given out, and farmers would wear tenugui on their heads or necks during work. Around 2000, stylish tenugui started to be sold, offering colors and patterns that appealed to a broader audience.

What inspired and led you to take over the family business?

When my uncle, the second-generation owner, suddenly passed away, both his family and mine were hesitant to see the business end. At 26, I decided to become the third-generation successor. Learning the craft started there, without any manuals, just absorbing the work you see and feel. From when I became CEO in 2005, it took five years of studying dyeing. For 12 years after becoming CEO, we continued as a processing business, launching our own brand "hirali" in 2017.

In the past, textiles were washed in the river after bleaching. Along the river stood companies engaged in roll printing, with more than 50 in the 1970s, dwindling with closures and bankruptcies, leaving about ten today. As of now, we are the only company in Japan exclusively engaging in small roll printing for tenugui dyeing.

The Soft Textures Born Through Time

Please explain the appeal of wazarashi.

Wazarashi involves boiling fabrics in a large kettle for about two days. With repeated washings in hot water, the fibers soften, resulting in a delightful texture. It's gentle on the skin, making it ideal for products like infant wear, gauze, towels, and handkerchiefs.

Bleaching removes oils from fabric, turning originally yellowish cotton into a bleached form, essential for dyeing since untreated fabric repels moisture. Compared to European bleaching, wazarashi uses fewer chemicals and takes time to prevent harming the fabric fibers, resulting in a soft finish.

Conversely, European bleaching involves immersing fabric in chemical solutions for hours. The strength of the chemicals allows quick processing but thins the threads. While tenugui are almost entirely wazarashi, clothing and bed linens in modern life predominantly use European bleaching. Though less efficient in production, wazarashi provides a gentle touch and can be dyed while preserving the fluffy fiber texture.

The Ultimate Craftsmanship: Reversible Dyeing

Can you briefly explain the production process? Are there any particularly challenging techniques or processes that you pay special attention to?

There are three preparatory steps. First, we sharpen the blade of the roll printing machine. The blade removes excess dye from the mold. Next, we set up the roll printing mold and mix the colors, considering the impact on the reverse side. It's challenging to adjust the dye's consistency to prevent it from seeping through to the other side.

The production process involves aligning the patterns on both sides for the first dyeing, steaming the fabric dyed on both sides, and using heat to restore the shrunken fabric while adjusting its width. It's essential to apply the optimal pressure during dyeing to prevent colors from bleeding onto the reverse side, requiring skilled technique.

Unlike "chusen" (注染) dyeing which can dye both sides the same color, roll printing only dyes the surface. After experimenting, we developed the technology to dye both sides with roll printing to the same color around 1990. This led us to the idea of reversible dyeing, a technique unique to our company, achievable only because we can utilize both printing and "chusen" techniques. After three years, we perfected a method that doesn't compromise the lightness of traditional Japanese bleached fabrics, enabling reversible dyeing on sheer materials as thin as gauze.

What inspired your ideas? Were there any references or sources of inspiration?

In my youth, I loved traveling both domestically and internationally, often backpacking, and even now, I look at various fabrics on my journeys. The concept of Hirali is about adapting traditional Japanese colors and patterns to fit modern lifestyles. For dyeing, we reference the Heian period's "Kasane no Irome" (襲の色目). Even when not intentionally aiming for it, our work is often likened to Nordic designs. It seems there was once an influence exchange where Japanese designs flowed to the Nordic regions and inspired their designers, leading to similarities.

What led to the creation of your original brand?

Roll printing was initially a machine for mass production during the period of high economic growth. In recent years, as order quantities have decreased and demand has waned, the number of factories handling roll printing has steadily declined.

Our company is passionate about preserving roll printing, which we've specialized in since our founding, so we developed new technology, the reversible dyeing. This innovation prompted us to launch our own brand, and in 2017, we participated in our first exhibition, interacting with buyers and general consumers for the first time. Confidently presenting in Sakai City, known for "tenugui" production, our unique technique and compelling story were on display.

However, surveying various brands, we realized the need to reevaluate our products due to the low awareness of our production area and methods and misalignments in promotional points. This became a significant turning point. We envisioned introducing Sakai City’s industry and roll printing to the public, aspiring to eventually brand Sakai City’s "tenugui" similarly to Imabari towels.

Now that our self-developed products are widely distributed both domestically and abroad and featured in the media, we feel artisans are growing proud of their work. What challenges do you see in the dyeing and "tenugui" industry? What do you think is necessary to overcome these challenges?

"Tenugui" was once a familiar item, but now fewer people use them regularly. Although design "tenugui" and outdoor applications have somewhat revived its appeal, many people still don't know how to use them. Their convenience becomes apparent only after trying them. The current challenge is finding ways to introduce "tenugui" to those who weren't previously acquainted with them.

By creating modern designs for today's lifestyle, or developing products like a snood-shaped "tenugui" that wraps around the neck, such as the "Oo," we're continuously experimenting to appeal to new audiences. However, it's still a process of trial and error.

Traditionally Woven Altruistic Happiness

Are there any activities or initiatives involving community industries and artisans that lead to regional revitalization?

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2017 to 2019, companies associated with tenugui (Japanese hand towels) in the area gathered to hold an event called "Tenugui Fest" once a year. It was difficult for a single company to survive through individual efforts alone, so this event was started to promote Sakai City, the production area of tenugui, and ignite excitement throughout the region. The event attracted 30,000 visitors over two days and was a huge success.

Breaking away from traditional customs and ways of thinking to change the current flow is challenging, but there is a need for younger generations of craftsmen, like those in our company, to propose better forms of collaboration.

What innovations or new technologies are you planning to pursue in the future? Could you share your future outlook?

We are perfecting the technical aspects of roll printing, but with the current weak yen, it is easier to spread Japanese products worldwide. There is still potential to expand sales channels overseas, so we aim to participate in international exhibitions and focus on e-commerce efforts.

Additionally, we want to contribute to society through our manufacturing by supporting people with disabilities. Our company has also launched a Type B employment support facility, where individuals with disabilities primarily work on inspecting and folding tenugui. They express joy when seeing products they've worked on being sold domestically and internationally, and getting featured in the media also boosts their motivation.

Our mission is to ensure that roll printing continues into the future. We hope many people come to know about roll printing alongside tenugui from Sakai City.