Wrapping things and moments — the furoshiki of Shirushizome Sugishita, dyed with feeling

Contents）

・Tradition and Innovation (About Shirushizome Sugishita)

・A Visit to the Workshop

・"Dyeing One's Feelings"

・The Power of Design (Designer Interview)

・Shirushizome You Can Cherish for a Lifetime

・Why Do We Wear the Zodiac Animal of the Year?

The year-end and New Year period is filled with traditional events and customs, offering many opportunities to experience Japanese culture. People give year-end gifts (oseibo) to those who have helped them, share rice cakes and osechi dishes in preparation for the New Year, and pay New Year's greeting visits with otoshidama gifts. In the past, furoshiki (wrapping cloths) were often used on such occasions.

A silk furoshiki for ceremonial occasions or when wearing kimono, a furoshiki resembling the classic "burglar's bundle" pattern seen in manga for carrying everyday items, or a navy-colored one bearing a family crest for use at shrine rituals—much like a modern bag, furoshiki were once chosen according to the destination, one's attire, and the amount of luggage. Today, this practice is gaining recognition abroad from a sustainability perspective.

Now that the pandemic has come to an end, many of us have spent this year going out, meeting people, and reconnecting with things—as if to make up for the past three years. Looking back on the year, what stands out is a wish to make next year even more fulfilling. With that feeling in mind, we wanted to take a closer look at furoshiki—practical items that can be carried close to you like a good-luck charm. Furoshiki bearing auspicious patterns, meant to be kept nearby in daily life, are used to wrap whatever good things or encounters come your way. In this feature, we introduce the story behind the furoshiki of Shirushizome Sugishita, born from the dedication of skilled craftspeople.

Tradition and Innovation

Shirushizome (印染) is a technique in which marks are placed to distinguish the areas to be dyed from those to remain undyed, so that only the intended sections are colored. It is said to originate from the Heian period, when family crests were dyed onto banners (nobori) to distinguish allies from enemies on the battlefield. Prized for its crisp, highly visible results, shirushizome became widely used during the Muromachi period to place family crests on happi coats, curtains (maku), hand towels (tenugui), and other everyday items—and today it stands as one of Japan's traditional crafts.

Brand Profile

A Visit to the Workshop

Shirushizome Sugishita's workshop is located in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, in a quiet area lined with traditional machiya townhouses and modern architecture, free from the crowds typical of tourist spots. Soon after arriving, we were shown around the workshop, where the long interior and equally long work tables immediately caught our eye. Because the studio dyes long items such as banners (nobori), noren curtains, and kimono, the work tables are correspondingly long—each one said to measure half the length of a full bolt of cloth (ittan).

▲Stencils

On the walls of the dyeing room, numerous stencils—bearing the names, crests, and patterns to be dyed—stood framed in wooden frames, awaiting use. Like woodblock prints, these stencils are always mirror-reversed, and some of the larger ones stretch across an entire wall of the workshop. Unlike digital printing, each stencil is made to the exact full scale of the finished product, giving them a striking presence. Seeing so many stencils sparked curiosity about what colors they would be dyed in, and where and how they might eventually be seen.

▲Brushes

Nearly a hundred brushes lined an entire wall, arranged in a gradient. Since even the slightest mistake during the coloring process can muddy the dye, the brushes are kept in meticulous order.

▲Dyeing Both Front and Back

Shirushizome Sugishita's distinctive, meticulous handwork is what gives its designs such crisp, clean outlines. The front side, where the crest or mark is displayed, is dyed alongside the back, which is also colored to make the front stand out all the more. It is a masterful, highly skilled process that allows no room for even a single millimeter of misalignment between the front and back of a single piece of cloth.

▲Dye Solution

While touring the workshop, we passed a craftsman whose trousers were splattered with paint-like dye. In the room we peeked into afterward, someone was blending dye and paste together. Using a large mixing machine, this person stirred the dye and paste, working to bring the mixture to the ideal consistency for dyeing. We were told that creating the right color is a crucial process—adjusting the proportions little by little and repeating the mixing again and again until the desired shade is achieved. During our visit, we happened to overhear a conversation between an experienced dye craftsman and a colleague, in which the dyeing process was postponed because the color wasn't quite right yet. It felt like a glimpse into the uncompromising dedication of true professionals.

▲Dyeing Evenly, Without Unevenness

The veteran craftsman, with 40 years in the trade, moved his brush silently across the fabric. Dyeing evenly, without bleeding or unevenness, is difficult work—at this moment he was dyeing a hanten (short coat) in a pale, watercolor-like uguisu (nightingale) green, and he told us that the lighter the color, the harder it is to dye evenly over a large area. The brush seemed to move in a steady rhythm, but he varied the pressure in his hand as he moved it back and forth, smoothing out the dyed color as he went—a beautiful piece of handwork that covered the whole surface without unevenness.

Once the dyeing was finished, he stretched the fabric taut like a bridge using bamboo tools called shinshi, smoothing out the wrinkles, all while checking to make sure no liquid pooled before it dried.

On the day of our visit, a calm winter day with no wind, the workshop's windows were open to circulate the air inside, but we learned that the windows are opened and closed according to the season, the temperature, and the flow of wind on that particular day—adjusting the workshop environment to fit the weather conditions is another skill that requires years of accumulated feel.

▲Steaming

There is also a process of steaming the dyed fabric once to fix the color. Looking inside the aged steaming box, we were told that a mat of woven straw is laid down to spread the steam rising from below evenly, and that wooden boards are lined along the inner walls to help regulate the temperature and humidity inside the box.

▲Washing

After being steamed for an hour, the fabric moves on to the washing process.

Kyoto, because of its topography, is said to have abundant water sources beneath the ground—rain that falls on the surrounding mountains and the moisture that gathers there—rivaling even Lake Biwa in volume, and this land has developed thanks to the many sake breweries and dye workshops that have made use of it. The good-quality water flowing from the foot of Mt. Hiei is used to wash away the excess dye after the dyeing process. On this day, the large outdoor water tank used for washing bigger pieces was empty, but beside it stood a small shrine (hokora), lending the space a somewhat sacred atmosphere. This visit left us with the sense that beautiful, hand-dyed jirushizome (crest dyeing) is carried on by people who make use of nature's blessings and take great care of tools passed down from long ago.

"Dyeing Feelings"

"Dyeing Feelings"

This was a phrase that came up again and again during our visit.

A noren-wake, the noren given by a master to a disciple as a gesture of support when the disciple starts their own business; a matsuri hanten worn by those who lead a community's festival—customers who commission jirushizome, we're told, hold the jirushi itself (the design) dear. It is precisely because of this that Sugishita-san is committed to the dyeing process, aiming, as a dye craftsman, for the finest possible finish.

For example, he told us, simply taking a color expressed digitally and turning it directly into dye liquid never produces a good result. So instead, he creates colors that draw out the best qualities of the crest design while taking the customer's feelings into account, expressing the best possible color. When the finished piece satisfies the customer and brings a smile to their face, it makes him want to create something good again next time. Hearing Sugishita-san speak this way was also a chance to learn that handmade products—born from people facing other people—embody a kind of "taking in" (kumu) that digital tools and AI simply cannot achieve.

The Power of Design

The auspicious furoshiki (wrapping cloth) featuring the twelve zodiac animals, created by combining traditional technique with design, is a product packed with the skill and spirit of Insen Sugishita, and it took two years to complete. We also spoke with graphic designer Akiko Sekimoto, who was responsible for the design. Here, in interview form, we share the questions we asked her about the Insen Sugishita furoshiki, whose colors and design are just as striking as its craftsmanship.

Designer Profile

◆Was there anything difficult about designing for cloth (a furoshiki) rather than paper?

──With paper, it's similar to designing wrapping paper, but the difference is that, because it's cloth, the uses expand further—it can become a scarf or a bag. I aimed for a design that would look appealing both when tied and when worn.

◆These are wonderfully striking colors—I remember the first time I saw them. Could you tell us about your particular commitment or intention behind the three colors, red, blue, and white?

──Among the countless furoshiki and handkerchief brands out there, I narrowed down the colors first of all so that people would remember and recognize this one. Also, since the greatest appeal of Sugishita's dyeing workshop lies in the "jirushi" (crest), I chose colors with strong contrast so that the dyeing technique that makes the edges of each color crisp and clear would stand out as much as possible. And with overseas sales in mind as well, I incorporated the dyed navy blue along with Japan's celebratory red and white, so as to give the impression that this is a Japanese brand.

◆A furoshiki with a zodiac animal pattern is not something one would normally imagine—was there a reason you chose something that doesn't feel especially "Japanese-style"?

──Everyone has their own zodiac animal, but zodiac-themed products were something you could only find at shops handling so-called traditional Japanese goods, or around New Year's and at shrines. Zodiac animals are also considered auspicious, so they make wonderful gifts. By putting thought into the design, we felt we could create more opportunities for smiles—whether by wearing them year-round or giving them as celebratory presents—so we designed these with a broader range than the typical "wafu" (Japanese-style) look.

◆Even in these simple designs, each animal's distinctive character comes through—you can almost hear the animals' cries and sounds. Could you tell us about the process behind creating these boldly stylized designs?

──For the zodiac designs, our top priority was creating designs that would showcase the beauty of Sugishita-san's shirushizome (dyed crest-marking) technique at its finest. That's why we focused mainly on long straight lines and large geometric curves. It was also interesting to explore how far each zodiac animal's motif could be simplified while designing.

◆Is there a zodiac design that stands out as Sekimoto-san's own personal favorite, something you're especially proud of?

──I'm fond of all of them, but the Boar (inoshishi) is my favorite.

◆Looking at the pieces you've designed, Sekimoto-san, whether they're from long-established Japanese houses or something more everyday, they all seem to lift the spirits of whoever encounters them. Could you tell us what you value most when designing?

──In a world already overflowing with things, I feel a great sense of responsibility whenever we send something new out into it. With the client's agreement, whether it's technique, design, or material—whatever it may be—I try to bring a new way of thinking to the design process, something that could become the spark for the next new thing. It's also important that the people making it, myself included, genuinely want it themselves. Whether the makers are approaching their work with sincere enthusiasm and joy has a real, visible effect on a product's appeal and, ultimately, on its sales. Just as it's not easy to view yourself objectively and confidently communicate your own appeal to others, I believe what matters most is creating an environment in which the client themselves can come to recognize, with genuine confidence, the greatest appeal of their brand or product. That's why we take great care in our interviews and research. And then, through the visual language of design, I believe our job is to plan—and where appropriate, to keep carrying out—ways of communicating the brand's or product's one-of-a-kind appeal. Simply making a product look attractive through design isn't enough to actually convey that appeal. If, as a result of continuing to build things this way, people come to enjoy a brand or a product, that makes me very happy indeed.

◆What is it that this piece you designed (this shirushizome furoshiki) is meant to convey? What kind of people would you like to reach for it?

──Above all, I'd love for people to actually hold it in their hands and enjoy the beautiful, vivid colors and the crisp edges the dyeing produces. And I'd be delighted if even one more person came to know the pleasure of furoshiki, something that's been cherished for so long. The material is cotton, easy to handle, but we found a fabric with an elegant sheen that really makes the colors pop. I'd love for people to discover that there are many ways to enjoy it beyond just wrapping things—incorporating it into interior decor, or using it as a scarf, for example. I'd be happy if this becomes a chance for people who have never picked up or used a furoshiki before to try one.

◆Finally, do you have any recommendations for how to use the zodiac furoshiki?

──With its glossy fabric texture and vivid colors, we designed it so it can be enjoyed as an accessory, like a scarf, as well as for interior use, like a tablecloth or wall art. Whatever animal is that year's zodiac sign is considered auspicious. It folds down small, so it's perfect as a lap blanket or tucked into a bag as protection against summer air-conditioning, and it's an essential item for travel too. Beyond simply wrapping belongings, it can become a bag with no size limit, just like an eco-bag. Lay one over an open suitcase and it hides your belongings from view. Because it takes up so little space, it's become an essential item whenever I travel for work.

This wonderful furoshiki was brought to completion through the wholehearted dedication of Sekimoto-san, whose work is all about communicating through design. Being overwhelmed and moved the very first time I laid eyes on it made perfect sense once I heard the story—this was a product infused with the feelings of everyone who took part in making it.

Shirushizome you'll cherish for years to come

Thanks to its remarkable versatility, this single piece of cloth is almost guaranteed to prove useful when you take it on a trip. And on everyday outings, whether you're carrying a gift or a small present, it's the kind of thing a stylish, grown woman would love to use skillfully as an eco-bag. During our interview, we also asked Kakuno-san of Shirushizome Sugishita, who uses furoshiki herself, about how convenient they are, and she told us she keeps one tucked away in her commuting bag every day, ready to be useful in all kinds of situations. Beyond wrapping and carrying things, a furoshiki can also be enjoyed as a way to hide items from view, or simply as a piece of art in itself.

When you head home or travel over the New Year holidays, it's a great help for sorting things inside your suitcase, and it doubles excellently as a sub-bag when your luggage grows. Tie a furoshiki bag to your suitcase handle and it stays put without slipping off as you move around, and it also makes it easy to spot your own luggage at the airport or wherever you're checking bags during your travels.

Fold it into a triangle, tie the two ends of the base together, and then tie the top point—and just like that, it transforms into a simple bag. Keep one in your bag like a handkerchief, and it comes in handy for carrying home an unexpected purchase.

For the first shrine visit of the year, prepare your offering money, and on the way home you can unfold it to wrap your ema plaque or hamaya arrow. For everyday use, wrap a bento box, or bring a snack along when you head to the neighborhood park for a break.

When people gather, it's handy for grocery shopping too—you can even wrap a whole napa cabbage or head of cabbage for hot pot.

You can wrap up an outer garment you took off while out, or bulky items you bought while shopping. Since it can also wrap oddly shaped items, it's handy for sorting and storing things inside your closet at home too.

Hang it on the wall, and it becomes a work of art, adding an accent to the space. Displaying an auspicious pattern is a lovely way to invite good fortune.

*The photo uses the Creamore Mill poster hanger.

On days when people gather, use it as a tablecloth and the whole space instantly feels festive. Outdoors, it can even turn a park bench into an impromptu table.

It can also serve as a substitute fukusa (formal wrapping cloth). Use it to wrap New Year's gift money, or gifts for coming-of-age or job-starting celebrations. Giving a furoshiki as a gift for a kanreki (60th birthday) celebration is also a wonderful idea.

Chosen so it can be used for a wide variety of purposes—practical yet elegant—this Insome Sugishita furoshiki is made of a fabric that, despite being as thin as silk with a beautiful sheen, is a sturdy 100% cotton. Easy to tie and to wrap with, it can also be enjoyed draped over your knees or around your neck and shoulders. You'll come to appreciate just how versatile this single cloth is once you start using it, so keep it tucked in your everyday bag like a good-luck charm.

Why do people wear their zodiac animal?

When you visit a shrine, you'll find ema plaques and charms for that year's zodiac animal on hand. It's said that the charm for the current year's zodiac animal, as well as the one for your birth year, watches over your fortune for the year and brings good luck. Wearing your birth-year zodiac animal is said to bring "freedom from illness and protection from misfortune," while wearing the current year's zodiac animal is said to bring "safety at home and prosperity in business." Displaying or gifting the current year's zodiac animal, meanwhile, is said to bring "good fortune and peaceful longevity."

Did you also know that it's considered auspicious to wear the "opposite zodiac animal" (also called the hidden or reverse zodiac)? Carrying the item of the zodiac animal directly opposite yours on the zodiac clock is said to help make up for what you lack and bring out your strengths. Why not choose one as a charm for the year ahead?

▼See the full lineup of Insome Sugishita products here