丸帯
Maru obi
The most formal obi. Patterned on both sides, often heavy with gold and silver thread. A single maru obi can yield several clutches because the weave is dense enough to stand on its own.
生地
Fabric
帯
Obi types
The obi is a sash, but in weave and weight it is often more architecture than accessory. These are the three we cut most.
袋帯
Fukuro obi
A formal “bag” obi, patterned on one face. Cranes, pines, and seasonal flowers are common. The unpatterned reverse is often used for linings and hidden structure.
名古屋帯
Nagoya obi
Lighter, partly pre-folded, and made for daily wear. Geometric grounds like asanoha (hemp leaf) and seigaiha (waves) cut cleanly into smaller bags.
文様
Kimono motifs
Motifs are a language. We cut so the sentence still completes on the face of the bag.
Kiku — chrysanthemum
Longevity, the imperial crest, autumn. Often found on formal kimono and fukuro obi.
Ume — plum blossom
Resilience. It flowers in the cold. Pale grounds and fine branches suit evening pieces.
Seigaiha — waves
Quiet power, repeating without end. A classic indigo ground for smaller bags.
Asanoha — hemp leaf
Growth and protection. A geometric pattern that cuts into clean, modern shapes.
Kacho-ga — birds and flowers
A painting tradition translated into weave. Best when a full bird or bloom can sit on the bag’s face.
Matsu — pine
Constancy through winter. Often paired with cranes on ceremonial obi.
絹
Silk types
The weave decides how a purse will sit in the hand. Crepe gives. Damask gleams. Brocade holds.
縮緬
Chirimen
A silk crepe with a pebbled surface. It drapes, resists wrinkles, and photographs with a soft grain. We use it for bodies that need a little give.
綸子
Rinzu
Figured satin damask. The motif is woven, not printed, and appears as a change in sheen. It asks for simple silhouettes so the cloth can speak.
西陣織
Nishijin-ori
Kyoto’s tapestry weave. Gold-wrapped thread, brocade florals, and a weight that immediately tells you it was made for ceremony. Most of our obi clutches begin here.
見極め
How to identify quality vintage silk
1. Even light
Hold the cloth to a window. Quality silk shows a consistent sheen, not patchy dullness. Sun-fade along a fold is common; we cut around it.
2. Sound weft
Gently tension a hidden corner. If threads powder or split, the panel is for study, not for a bag that will be carried.
3. Thread, not print
Gold that is woven (wrapped thread, brocade) outlasts gold that is stamped. If it rubs off on cloth, it will rub off on a dress.
4. Honest smell
Cedar and time are welcome. Mold is not. We air everything and never perfume a textile to hide its storage.
Vertical studies
Motif, weave, and scale — cropped the way we wish more vintage silk was photographed.