About Tenugui
What are tenugui?
When translated tenugui literally stands for hand (te) and wipe (negui). However, tenugui are not only used as hand towels but also for many other purposes. These include use both as a gift (giving gifts is very popular in Japan) and as a way to wrap gifts, as a headband or fashion accessory and also as a way to decorate your home. Tenugui are definitely both stylish and versatile.
They are believed to have first become popular during the Meiji period in Japan (1600 – 1867). Today they still remain very popular in Japan and have become a famous part of Japanese culture. They are made from 100% cotton and usually measure 33cm x 90cm giving them a rectangular shape. Authentic tenugui are made in Japan from people who are specialists in this field. Tenugui are traditionally cut by hand and you’ll find that the edges are unhemmed.
The most distinguishing features of tenugui however are the beautiful patterns that you’ll find. These include breath-taking scenes of waves, mountains and forests, depictions of animals such as birds and fish as well as artistic floral designs.
Chusen Dying
The most common method of creating these designs is chusen dyeing which gives a pattern which appears on both the front and back of the fabric. The general process involves pplying a special paste to re-prepared fabric using a stencil. The stencil is what gives the fabric its design while the role of the paste is to prevent specific areas of the fabric from being dyed. Once the dye has dried the fabric is folded, stretched and trimmed to size to give the completed tenugui.
Washing Instructions
To keep your tenugui in good condition we recommend that they be washed by hand in cold water. Washing powder/liquid can be used but you should be careful to make sure that it doesn’t contain any bleaching agents that will change the colour of the dye. It is also a good idea to wash tenugui separately from your other clothes and to hang them to dry in the shade. They should not be tumble dried. Tenugui will fade with washing.
