Intro Japanese Made Fabrics presents a three-part series introducing the production areas where the fabrics we sell are made.

In this issue, Intro Japanese Made Fabrics highlights our main product, Bingo-Fushiori.

Intro Japanese Made Fabrics: Bingo Fushiori

Bingo Province, part of Intro Japanese Made Fabrics, was an old Japanese province comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture and the western part of Okayama Prefecture.

Overlooking the beautiful Seto Inland Sea, the area is considered one of the most scenic regions in Japan.

Bingo-Fushiori is a new derivative brand of Bingo-Kasuri, one of the three best Japanese Kasuri brands (indigo fabric with a splashed pattern). It is also designated as one of seven traditional crafts by the Hiroshima Prefecture. Our collection of Bingo-Fushiori has simple patterns and has a pleasant texture that is suitable for clothes and bed linens.

Original Bingo-Kasuri

The production of Bingo-Fushiori starts with the dying of boiled cotton thread. Bingo-Fushiori uses traditional dye such as indigo, persimmon juice and Indian ink. To let colors seep into the thread, threads are dried slowly in the natural sunlight. This dyeing and drying process requires sunshine. Textile artists pay close attention to the weather and often have to wait for the optimal drying conditions.

Today there are only two textile manufacturers that produce Bingo-Fushiori. Morita Orimono creates textiles with simple patterns made with natural dye. Kittaka Brothers ambitiously develop colorful and non-traditional patterns.

Textile Manufacturers

Morita Orimono

Established in 1963.

Morita’s motto is “Only way to survive is to continue doing labor-intensive work.” He dyes all the threads carefully using natural dye. His hard working ethic is reflected in his beautiful rustic textiles .

Kittaka Brothers & Co.

Established in 1920. 

Mr Kittaka, the fifth generation textile artist, changes the way he twists the thread of each fabric to achieve a certain texture. He constantly develops more modern patterns to be used in western-style clothing. His fresh approach is reflected in his neo-traditional collection of textiles.

Recommended Uses

Bingo-Fushiori has fluffy neps created during the weaving process. These neps give a soft and warm touch like hand woven cotton, and the cloth becomes even softer with use. Because of its soft and fluffy texture, we recommend Bingo-Fushiori to be used for clothing in direct contact with the skin, such as shirts and pants.  It is also great for any upholstery projects.

Click here to buy Bingo-Fushiori