Production Begins on Masks Made with Traditional Kurume-ori Textiles | Kuwano Shinken Sangyo

Kuwano Shinken Sangyo | KUWANOSHINKEN

Kurume-ori Textile Manufacturer Begins Mask Production

Kuwano Shinken Sangyo, a company in Kurume City, Fukuoka Prefecture, that has been crafting traditional Japanese garments like Hanten, Samue, and Jinbei using carefully selected materials and time-honored methods since its founding, has begun producing masks in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Text by ANDO Sara

Three-Dimensional Masks Crafted from Kurume-ori Cotton Fabric

Responding to requests for masks made with Kurume-ori, the company has developed two types of original cloth masks, each featuring a four-layer construction combining a Kurume-ori outer fabric and a soft inner lining woven on a rapier loom.

One mask features a Kurume-ori outer layer based on the popular, classic 'Arare' (hailstone) pattern, newly enhanced with a complex double weave to express 'Moku' (heathered) and 'Kirikae' (contrast) designs. The inner lining is also a specially developed double-weave fabric, finished as a soft, fluffy plain double gauze that feels gentle against the skin.

The other mask uses a single piece of fabric, similar to that used for Hanten and Monpe (work trousers), with a small, dot-like Arare pattern. The inner lining is a soft, fluffy plain triple gauze, achieved through a new triple weave requiring more than three times the usual density of threads. This fabric is developed with a new triple weave structure that requires more than three times the usual density of threads.

The Kurume-ori fabric, known for its unique patterns, soft texture, and durability due to the use of pre-dyed yarns, gains an even richer texture and becomes more familiar to the skin with repeated washing and use.

Unlike masks designed for virus protection, these cloth masks offer a degree of droplet protection. The company decided to offer them at a price covering little more than material, processing, and shipping costs, hoping to assist those in need in some small way.

Due to the nature of the material, large-scale production is challenging, and incoming quantities are limited. However, the company plans to continue production and restocking on a regular basis.

Kurume-ori Four-Layer Cloth Mask
Price | ¥1,000 (tax included)
Material | 100% Cotton (excluding elastic)
Available Sizes | Outer Double Weave + Inner Double Weave (Free Size: W 16.5cm x H 12.5cm, S Size: W 15cm x H 11cm)
Outer Single Layer + Inner Triple Weave (Free Size: W 16.5cm x H 12cm, S Size: W 15cm x H 11cm)

Inquiries

Watanosato Rakuten Ichiba Store
https://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/kuwanoshinken/