Vintage Japanese Kimono Fabrics by Pieces: Japanese Textile Fabric Swatches

8117: 1980s Japanese Silk Ohshima Tsumugi, Dark Brown Checkered, 50in.Deadstock

8117 1980 Deadstock Japanese Ohshima Tsumugi silk, brown 50inches.

1980s Deadstock Japanese Textiles:

Catalog# 8117

Ohshima Tsumugi (Pongee) Silk Fabric
1/8th inch tan color elements in a checked dark brown grid pattern

Certified Authentic Ohshima Tsumugi

Width: 14.5 inches / 36.83 cm
Length: 50 inches / 127.0 cm

US$15.00 per piece
Plus Shipping

Item Details and Description

Fabric History/Pedigree:

1980s Deadstock, acquired from the factory, Ohshima Tsumugi lots.

This lightweight silk piece has a small checked (1/8-inch/3.17mm) dark tan background, per the usual Ohshima Tsumugi weave/dye process; see closeups of grid; labels go to first person to order this; fabric is the same on both sides.

Colors: Please use our text color descriptions to complement your sense of the fabric, taking into account differences in contrast and color on various devices.

BACKGROUND JAPANESE TEXTILES CULTURAL NOTES:

There are various types of older Ohshima Tsumugi silk involve tsumugi using mud, indigo, and grass or plants in the dyeing process.

To learn about the older Ohshima textiles, there are details on that aspect of Japan's special pongee silk-making process which can be found on the National Foundation for Promoting the National Costume of Japan website. The site explains the natural plant dyes and mud etc. used in making older (1960s and earlier) Ohshima Tsumugi silks, quoted here:

Characteristics: A plain woven silk fabric with pre-dyed scoured threads both for warp and weft. The color is refined and calm and the fabric is soft and difficult to wrinkle. Threads are dyed with plant dyes such as "Techiki" (Raphilolepis umbellata) and indigo (Persicaria tinctoria) with a technique, peculiar only to "Oshima Tsumugi," called "Ori Jime." As a variety, an additional treatment is made to the dyed thread by dipping them in muddy water. It is "Doro(mud) Zome(dyeing)." There are several kinds of "Oshima Tsumugi":"Doro Oshima," "Ai(indigo) Oshima," "Doro Ai Oshima," "Iro(color) Oshima" and "Natsu(summer) Oshima."