RIENZOME

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  • Rienzome Tenugui Cloth with Bakery Theme (1510)
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    Tenugui with Bakery Theme (1510)

    Bakery This tenugui features a cute French Bakery Pattern in cute, shiny colors. "Tenugui" is often translated as "Japanese towel", but this translation fails to cover their versatility and cultural...
    $15.25
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  • Rienzome Tenugui Cloth with Prima Ballerina (192)
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    RIENZOME

    Tenugui with Prima Ballerina (192)

    Rienzome is the brand name of traditional cloth maker TODAYA, established in 1872, currently run by the 6th generation. ???Rien??? means the people of Kabuki and traditional dancing, and the brand...
    $15.25
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  • Rienzome Tenugui Cloth with Cafe Pattern (18-1302)
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    Tenugui with Cafe Pattern (18-1302)

    Cafe Time. Surround yourself with the things you love for the ultimate feeling of relaxation! "Tenugui" is often translated as "Japanese towel", but this translation fails to cover their versatility...
    $13.07
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  • Rienzome Tenugui Cloth JAZZ edition (395)
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    Tenugui JAZZ edition (395)

    Jazz Trio. A classic jazz trio with piano, drums and base. Can you imagine the grooving melody through the beautiful, traditionally dyed cloth? "Tenugui" is often translated as "Japanese towel", but...
    $13.07
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  • Rienzome Wax-dyed Tenugui Cloth with dancing skulls (881)
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    Tenugui with dancing skulls (881), Wax-dyed

    We are all SkullsThis tenugui is made with a unique new method that combines traditional dying with wax-dying techniques for a breathtaking result. The pattern features beautifully expressed skulls...
    $13.07
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  • Rienzome Tenugui Cloth with Piano Pattern (681)
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    Tenugui with Piano Pattern (681)

    PianoA simple, classic tenugui with Piano pattern. "Tenugui" is often translated as "Japanese towel", but this translation fails to cover their versatility and cultural significance. Tenugui are not...
    $13.07
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  • Rienzome Tenugui Cloth with Cute Pudding (1009)

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    Rienzome Tenugui Cloth with Cute Pudding (1009)

    Kawaii PuddingThis cute tenugui features images of small pudding - because who doesn't love pudding! "Tenugui" is often translated as "Japanese towel", but this translation fails to cover their...
    $15.25
  • Rienzome Tenugui Cloth with Chocolate Lovers (1024)
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    Tenugui with Chocolate Lovers (1024)

    I Love An adorable Tenugui design, perfect for Valentines, or a spontaneous romantic gift. Be creative and use the tenugui to wrap your gift. How about a chocolate gift?! "Tenugui" is often...
    $15.25
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Although the cloths themselves seem simple, the production process requires a steady hand and the eyes of a true artisan. The entire process involves up to ten craftsmen!

RIENZOME

Rienzome has been established in 1872 and beautifully crafts a variety of cotton textiles. From Tenugui, multi-purpose cotton towels that can be used as bandana, to wrap things or for decoration as wall tapestry; to Jinbei - Jinbei, a casual clothing for kids that can be used indoors or as pyjama. Noren curtains are dividers that hang at the entrance of a building or between rooms. And their scarves are popular year-round for their softness and traditional designs. 

Chusen Dyeing

Rienzome uses the ‘Chusen’ dying method, which is a hand dying technique that results in an intense print visible equally on both sides of the cloth, whereas printed versions will have one good- and one bad side. 

First of all, the fabric’s pattern will be drawn and carefully carved out on a special stencil paper. A bleach specialist is required to prepare the cotton cloths to get painted. 

It requires a mixture of seaweed and starch that helps keep the parts of cloth that do not need to be colored, clean. Several layers of cloth are painted at the same time, which means the artisan needs to be very careful, as once he makes a mistake, the entire roll of cloth will be wasted.  The starch-seaweed mixture is applied on each new layer and is also used to creates small dams around different areas where the paint with get captured in order to color patterns and decorations. 

Then, heated dye is released on top of the cloth and should only cover the parts left uncovered with the starch mixture. 

Craftsman often pour using a water can and with two hands at the same time! A vacuum below the cloth, operated with a foot pump, will pump all the paint down, allowing multiple layers to be dyed at once. The cloth then needs to be turned around so that the process can be repeated on the other side. Craftsman have to be extremely precise throughout the entire crafting process in order for the final result to be successful.

Finally, the painted cloths are washed in water to remove all the starch, left to sundry and rolled with a machine to remove all the wrinkles.  The cloth is then cut in smaller pieces depending on its intended use as tenugui towel or clothing.