A large stole made from ultra-fine thread. hatsutoki's iconic double-face fabric, now in a limited pink colorway

hatsutoki's woven fabric is made from thin, thin thread.

It's as if the brand's wish to deliver a sense of surprise and delight through touch is embodied in the product itself—every time you pick it up, there's a fresh sense of wonder waiting for you.

One of hatsutoki's most popular items is the double-face stole. Despite its large size it's remarkably light, and despite being 100% cotton it's warm, making it something you'll want to reach for regardless of season. This time, we asked hatsutoki to create a PINK-BEIGE colorway that evokes the feeling of a refreshing spring breeze. Let's take a closer look at the behind-the-scenes story of this ZUTTO exclusive color, and delve into "double-face chambray," the fabric hatsutoki considers emblematic of the brand. 

Behind the Scenes of PINK-BEIGE Production: A Conversation with the Designer

This time we spoke with designer Yuki Murata. Originally from Tokyo, she now lives in Nishiwaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, where she handles the overall design and direction of hatsutoki's wear and stole lines. She says that the natural scenery of Nishiwaki and the changing of the seasons serve as major sources of inspiration.

The interviewer is Maruyama, the ZUTTO staff member who planned this exclusive stole.

Double-Face Chambray, Created by Two Colors of Weft Thread

Maruyama:

When you touch hatsutoki's double-face fabric, you can tell it isn't simply two layers of fabric stacked together to create the double-face effect. What kind of structure creates this?

Murata-san:

Normally, weaving involves passing weft thread through warp thread in a straightforward flow. But with double-face fabric, the warp threads are divided into upper and lower layers, and weft threads are alternately passed through the upper and lower sections. Since it's the weft thread that appears on both the front and back of the fabric, creating a double-face fabric in different colors requires changing the weft thread color between the upper and lower layers.

△The warping process, where the warp threads are prepared. The threads are wound from the front toward machines resembling bobbins in the back. The total number of warp threads needed to form the stole is 6,416, and the weft threads number 7,086—for a combined total of 13,502 threads woven together.

Maruyama:

It really is a complex weaving method... Since the weft thread color changes between the upper and lower layers, how many colors were used to create this particular pink and beige combination?

Murata-san:

The warp thread is white, and the weft threads are pink and beige, for a total of three colors. The fringe next to the orange trim is made of weft thread, so if you look closely, you should be able to see the pink and beige threads alternating one by one.

Maruyama:

You're right—if you just glance at it casually, it looks like an exquisite blend of pink and beige, but when you look closely, you can distinguish each color. And on the side 90 degrees opposite the weft fringe, you can see the white fringe of the warp thread as well. When you consider that tens of thousands of warp and weft threads combined go into making this single stole, you can really imagine the tremendous effort involved.

Murata-san:

Not just the fringe—if you look at the fabric as a whole, you'll notice that the color varies slightly between the front and back of the folds and wrinkles. That's also a result of weaving together threads of various colors, creating the kind of depth of color that's unique to yarn-dyed woven fabric. From a distance, it looks like a single solid color, but up close you can pick up on the subtle nuances of color. 

Double-Face: The Fabric That Represents hatsutoki's Icon

Maruyama:

The thread used in the double-face chambray fabric is incredibly fine. I've heard that hatsutoki is particularly skilled at handling this kind of fine thread.

Murata-san:

That's right. The ultra-fine count thread we use is about 0.1mm thick—roughly the same thickness as a human hair. The "delicacy" and "refinement" that fine thread can express overlap with hatsutoki's brand image and the image of women the brand represents, which is why we use ultra-fine count thread.

Maruyama:

As thin as a human hair...! What kinds of things are normally made with thread this fine?

Murata-san:

Almost nothing is typically made this fine. Casual shirts usually use around 40-50 count thread, so a shirt made with ultra-fine count thread ends up having a delicate, refined impression.

△hatsutoki'stwill shirt blouse. This delicate shirt uses 100 count single thread.

Maruyama:

hatsutoki does have a shirt made with 100 count single thread, and it truly does carry an elegant, feminine air—it's lovely.

Aside from the "nice atmosphere" that fine thread creates, are there other benefits, or perhaps trade-offs that come with it?

Murata-san:

Beyond the impression of quality, fine thread also produces a softness in the fabric. As the name hatsutoki suggests, we want to cherish the excitement of unwrapping and touching fabric for the first time, so in that sense too, this double-face chambray is a fabric that truly embodies the brand's icon.

The trade-off is probably "stability of production." All of hatsutoki's fabrics are dyed using the sakizome (yarn-dyeing) method—dyeing the thread before weaving—which makes things especially difficult. This is because when dyeing the thread, it's dyed in a high-pressure kiln at over 100°C, then washed and dried, and this dyeing process puts a strain on the thread, making it harder to weave afterward. Even in the weaving process with the finished thread, it breaks roughly once every few dozen minutes.

Maruyama:

Looking at the finished product, the quality is such that you'd never guess there was such a behind-the-scenes story...

But it's true—when I first touched hatsutoki's double-face chambray, I was surprised. It had a fluffy touch along with a certain silkiness, and since the weave is extremely fine, there was also a crisp, smooth feel to it. I couldn't believe it was 100% cotton.

Murata:

From the maker's side, it's only recently that we've finally become able to weave it stably, so it's still difficult, honestly.  

A specially ordered color with a slightly different texture from the standard lineup, PINK-BEIGE

△The orange trim, added as an accent point.

Maruyama:

The PINK-BEIGE color you made this time matches the image perfectly—it has such a lovely, gentle springtime atmosphere. Was there anything difficult about achieving this particular color?

Murata:

We wanted the difference in color between the front and back to be noticeable, but if the contrast becomes too strong, unevenness appears in the weave, so we struggled with fine-tuning the color balance. We do simulate colors on the computer, but in the end, you really can't know how the combination of one warp color and two weft colors will turn out until you actually weave it.

Maruyama:

Actually, you made quite a few pattern samples for us, didn't you? (Thank you so much!) I was surprised at how much the impression changed just by changing one weft color.

△The warp is the same white throughout, while these samples were made by changing only the weft color. Some are pale, some are deep—each gives a different impression.

Murata:

It really is true that you can't know until you weave it—these sample colors show that clearly.

Maruyama:

When I touch this new PINK-BEIGE, it feels softer compared to hatsutoki's standard colors like "Double-Face Stole GREEN" or "Double-Face Stole PURPLE." Is there a specific difference behind that?

△Left: the brand's standard Double-Face Stole GREEN. It has fewer wrinkles and a bit more crispness.

Right: the special-order PINK-BEIGE. The fabric shrinks slightly lengthwise, giving it a softer feel.

Murata:

It comes down to differences in the washing process after weaving. The standard GREEN and PURPLE aren't washed as much, so they have fewer wrinkles and hold their shape crisply when wrapped around the neck. But for this PINK-BEIGE, to match the image of the color, we washed it more thoroughly to give it a soft, airy feel.

Maruyama:

There's a real consistency between the color image and the tactile feel—nothing feels off. The gentleness of the pink and the soft touch feel wonderful together.  

Murata:

We wanted to convey a springlike, feminine atmosphere, so I'm glad it came together in such a lovely color. It's pink, but soft and understated, so it should be easy to pair with all kinds of clothing.

△Paired with dark-colored clothing, it doesn't feel out of place and adds just the right accent.

△Paired with light colors, it blends in beautifully, adding a touch of elegance to a cohesive outfit.

For Loving Your Double-Face Chambray for Years to Come

"Extra-fine yarn" was the means chosen in pursuit of an exquisite texture that's gentle on the skin. Naturally, there are certain points to be careful of when handling it.

Watch Out for Snags

As with any woven fabric or knit, please be careful not to catch it on metal fittings such as rings or necklaces, or on fingernails. When putting on or taking off the stole, we recommend removing rings and similar items beforehand.

One easy-to-overlook point is where you store the stole. If you simply toss it into a basket made of natural materials or wire, part of the basket may stick out, and before you know it, the stole's threads may have caught on it. Please fold it neatly, piece by piece, and store it in a drawer. (If the drawer is made of wood, be mindful of splinters or cracks in the wood—laying down a cloth first can help.)

If a Thread Comes Loose

If a thread gets caught and comes loose, don't panic—spread the stole out on a flat surface and gently pull the area around the loose thread from side to side and diagonally. Do this gently so that the protruding thread eases back into the fabric.

Wash by Hand

Since it's 100% cotton, it can be washed with water at home.

1. Fill a washbasin with water and dissolve laundry detergent in it (it doesn't need to be a special detergent for delicates).

2. Fold the stole and either soak it or gently press-wash it.

※Please handle it gently, without scrubbing.

3. When removing excess water, don't wring it by hand—place it in a laundry net by itself and run a 1-minute spin cycle in the washing machine.

4. While still slightly damp, spread it out and hang it on a hanger or clothesline, smoothing out any wrinkles as you go.

※Drying in direct sunlight is fine, but avoid exposing it to sunlight for long periods of time.

5. For casual wear, you can leave it unironed to enjoy the natural wrinkles, or iron it for a more polished look. You can switch between the two depending on the style you're going for.

It's true that the fabric is delicate, woven from fine threads, but surprisingly, caring for it is easy. Since it's 100% cotton, running it through water is said to make the fabric even fluffier.

When you pick it up, when you wrap it around your neck, when it brushes against your cheek—enjoy the fresh surprise, every time, of hatsutoki's double-face stole. 

▽[Special Order] Double-Face Stole PINK-BEIGE