The theme of this issue is how to wash. We hear people say that hand-dyed tenugui towel is attractive, but they are worried about the color fading.

We are concerned about the handling of hand-dyed cloth, aren't we?

First, let the new Tenugui towel "run through water". ⇒ See "First care”

Unused tenugui towel should be rinsed in water before use, as excess dye and glue will remain on the cloth. This is a good way to straighten out the distortion of the fabric, so please give it a try.

So how does it feel to actually wash it? This time, we washed tenugui towels of various colors. Are there any differences depending on the color?

Let the "washing experiment" begin!

We have selected 12 colors of tenugui towels from Kamawanu's basics, ranging from white to dark colors.

Each of them is washed with room temperature water in a washbowl.
What kind of results will you get?

Here are the results of our experiment!

Surprisingly, the light blue dye came out on the white one. The navy blue one, which we had expected to lose a lot of color, did not show much color.

What were your expectations? The results for red and other colors were as expected, but we found that even light dyeing colors were found to be exposed to water. The first pass through with water is the most important thing.

Now, let us show you the basic "Tenugui towel laundering method.

Tips on how to wash

Hand washing is recommended for the first few times of use to remove excess dye. The color of the tenugui towel will gradually fade, so do not worry. 3 to 5 times, it is recommended to wash it separately from other items.

If the color does not fade after a few washes, you can machine wash it.

However, if washing with other items, it is safer to wash white shirts and other items that you are worried about color migration separately.

 

Can I use laundry detergent?

Can I use detergent? We are sometimes asked the question, "Can I use detergent? Hand washing and washing in water are the gentlest methods for fabrics.

However, if you are concerned about stains or odor, you can use detergent. We recommend a neutral detergent. Regular laundry detergents can also be used, but please avoid bleach-containing or strongly alkaline detergents, as they may damage the fabric.

 

Can I use hot water?

We recommend washing in water, not hot water. Hot water may cause color fading and blotting, so do not use hot water.

When washing in batches, use tenugui　towels of the same color together, so you do not have to worry about color migration.

Soaking or leaving the cloth wet may cause color migration. Be especially careful with white fabrics, as they easily absorb color. Dehydrate as soon as possible.

After washing, do not leave them wet, but dry them as soon as possible.
Stacking them on top of each other may cause color migration.

As for where to hang dry, direct sunlight can cause fading, so drying in the shade is recommended.

When drying, hold the edge of the tenugui towel and stretch the wrinkles well. In addition, you can prevent shrinkage by stretching the edges (the slightly hard part of the edges). This is a little ingenuity, but it makes a difference in the finished product when it dries.

When dry, cut the frayed threads and put it away.

How did you like the basic washing method?

These are tips for using tenugui towel for a long time.

It may take some time and effort at first, but the more time and effort you put into it, the more you will grow to love it.