Exploring The Beauty of Traditional Japanese Textiles
Tags: Fashionblogger, Fashion, Japan, Textile, Japanese

Japan is well-known for its traditions and rich heritage. Japanese textiles are world famous and renowned for their intricate designs and top quality, two elements that have been evolving for many centuries. Japanese weavers and dyers have been using natural materials such as cotton and silk to produce state-of-the art clothing as part of a tradition that ranges back to the 6th century bc.

Despite this long tradition though, Japanese textiles retain their original technique and stylist merit and continue to become a vital part of Japanese social life. Quality clothing has been used for both temple decorations, military uniforms and every day wear, with distinctive differences according to rank and social status. For example, finer silks were reserved for aristocrats while ‘humbler’ fibers such as cotton were the choice of fabric for lower classes. Apart from class distinction issues though, Japanese fabrics and its intricate patterns of imagery have been used to signify wealth or health as well as symbolize one’s origin and family heritage.

A Look at the History Behind Japanese Textile Tradition

It is fair to say that Japan’s heritage and textile tradition go many centuries back. During the Yamato period (c 300–710 c.e.) changes in the aristocratic clans produced a higher demand for silks and intricate weaves setting the foundations for what is was later to become a great textile tradition. Buddhism created an ecclesiastical market for fine fabrics to be used as temple decorations and the textile production started to be patronized by the rich monarchs and even the state. Noh Theater was also patronized by the military aristocracy and its shows demanded a great variety of costume designs in fabrics such as silk and brocade with elaborate designs and distinctive colors. All the above played a significant role in creating Japan’s rich textile heritage with the main production techniques of both dyeing and weaving remaining the same over centuries.

The Beauty of Japanese Textile Dyeing Techniques

There are many elaborate dyeing techniques used in the production of Japanese textiles, with the two most famous being Shibori and Yuzen. Shibori is a way of achieving color patterns by a series of twists or knots applied on the fabric to be used as resists. Another shibori way of achieving similar results is by twisting or folding the fabric and then compressing it between two wooden surfaces-this would create random motifs depending on the level of dye absorption.

Yuzen is perhaps the most famous of all Japanese dyeing techniques and it’s a process of creating designs on textiles with the use of stencils and rice paste, designs that would imitate brocades and damasks. Several sumptuary laws have forbade the use of brocades for any other social class than the traditional aristocracy and the yuzen dyeing method was the way to recreate such patterns in the way that could not be penalized.

Types of Traditional Japanese Weaving

There are several types of weaves used in the production of Japanese textiles with the most common one’s being the tabby, the satin weave and the twill weave. Several other patterned weaves such as damask and brocade were also in use and were reserved for the rich aristocracy and the heads of the state. A specific weave called the kara-ori was particularly used in the production of the highly elaborate Noh costumes and especially for kimonos and obis that demand a heavier fabric with hand woven details. The plain weave was mostly used in the production of cottons that were to be worn by the lower classes or used for decorative purposes. A series of decorative motifs, most often in stripes or other geometrical patterns were applied using a variety of dyeing methods, producing everyday fabrics of great aesthetic value.

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