The ABCs of Tenugui: First Use

Give it a good rinse

When you bring home a new tenugui, the first thing to do is give it a good rinse.

Tenugui are traditionally dyed using a stencil-dyeing technique called chusen. Because the dye is not fixed completely at the time of production, some excess dye may come out during the first few washes.

A new tenugui also has a smooth, slightly firm feel. During production, the fabric is pressed with rollers, giving it a beautiful sheen and crisp texture. Washing it helps bring out the soft, comfortable feel of the cotton.

Wash with plenty of water

For the first wash, hand-wash your tenugui with plenty of water. There’s no need to use detergent or hot water.

Some excess dye or sizing may remain on the fabric when it is new, so the water may become colored during the first wash. If this happens, rinse the tenugui two or three times, changing the water until it runs clear.

Dark colors such as navy and red may release more dye at first. These colors require a larger amount of dye to create their rich, vivid tones, so be sure to rinse them well.

And one important thing to remember: don’t use the colored water to wash other fabrics, as the dye may transfer.

For the first few washes, we recommend washing your tenugui separately from other items.

Let it dry in the shade

After washing, gently squeeze out the excess water and hang your tenugui to dry in a well-ventilated, shady place.

Sunlight will certainly help it dry faster, but prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can cause the colors to fade.

While the tenugui is still damp, gently stretch it out by hand. This helps smooth out wrinkles and keeps the fabric looking its best once it dries.

A little fraying is part of the charm

Once your tenugui is dry, you may notice some loose threads along the edges. This is completely normal.

Simply trim any long threads and leave the shorter ones as they are. The edges will continue to fray for a while, but the fraying will gradually settle down at around 7 to 8 mm.

As you continue to use and wash your tenugui, the fibers along the edge become intertwined, making it harder for the threads to pull loose.

The raw edges are part of what makes tenugui so versatile. Traditionally, tenugui were cut from a longer length of fabric and sold by the piece, which is why the edges were left unhemmed. The open edges also help the fabric dry quickly, an especially useful quality in Japan’s warm and humid climate.

Keep it out of direct sunlight

When dry, take care of the fraying. Cut only the long threads. Leave the short fringes. There will be fraying for a while, but it will stop at about 7 to 8 mm. As you use the yarn, the fringes will loosen and the fibers of the yarn will begin to get entangled with each other, making it difficult to pull out the long yarn, and the fraying will stop.

In the Edo period (1603-1867), tenugui towel were cut and sold by order, and the edges are still basically left uncut. In Japan, with its high temperature and humidity, tenugui towel has long been valued for its quick-drying qualities.