Habutae Silk

What is Habutae Fabric? 

• Habutae is a form of simple woven textile with warp and weft strands alternately interlaced. 
• When the material is silk, it is called kokinu. In a regular plain weave, the warp and weft threads are the same size, but in habutae, they are woven with two smaller warp yarns for each larger weft yarn. 
• This makes the fabric soft, light, and silky.

History

• People think that habutae, a traditional Japanese woven fabric, has its roots in the early modern period.
• Beginning in 1877, people in Kyoto and Kiryu City, which is in Gunma Prefecture were encouraged to do research on how to make looms better.
• Around the year 1887, manufacturing of habutae started in Kawamata-Cho, which is located in Fukushima Prefecture, as well as Ishikawa Prefecture and Fukui Prefecture.
• During the Meiji period in Japan, habutae was the most important silk textile that the country exported.
• It was shipped in large quantities to both Europe and the United States, which contributed to the expansion of Japanese industry.
• One kind of habutae was intended for sale on the domestic market, while the other was intended for export. 

What Makes it Stand Out

Applications & Usage

• It is most commonly used for lining, blouses, pareo, lingerie, and scarves.

 Care Instructions

• If you choose, you may pre-wash the fabric using the same washing technique that you want to use for your daily wear outfit.
• Dry cleaning is the only method that should be used on habutae as it is made entirely of silk.
• Hang out to dry and use a dry iron.

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