Yuki-tsumugi is a Japanese silk-weaving technique popular in Yuki City and Oyama City, which are located along the Kinu River north of Tokyo.
According to tradition, yuki-tsumugi originated from a craft house known as Nagahatabeno Ashiginu during the reign of the legendary Emperor Sujin. Silk production knowledge, developed by Ooyanomikoto, was said to have spread to Yuki and beyond as soon as it was known.
Yuki Tsumugi silk kimonos are known for their lightness, softness, and high heat retention. They deliver a gentle and comfortable feel to your skin. Threads do not get damaged over time. Instead, time enhances the appealing texture and enhances the comfort of the fit. The fabric appears like a monastic vocation in a time when speed and precipitation are often confused. The process of making a handmade Kimono silk pongee (raw silk) can take up to a year. It is a very sophisticated technique that requires the knowledge and taste of the craftsman who creates it.
It takes several steps to produce this material: the threads are extracted from yarns spun from silk floss. Silk filaments are made by boiling cocoons and gently unwinding the strands, and patterns are added by hand-tying bundles of yarn before dyeing, after which silk is woven using a back-tension loom. In addition to silk floss for the yarn in Yuki-tsumugi weaving is obtained from empty silkworm cocoons or deformed silkworm cocoons, otherwise unusable for producing silk yarn. The recycling process contributes significantly to local sericulture communities.
Yuki-tsumugi weaving techniques are passed on by members of the Association for the Preservation of Honba Yuki-tsumugi Weaving Technique. Its members are directly involved in maintaining the spinning, dyeing, and weaving culture handed down by generations within the community. By exchanging skills, educating young weavers, and holding practical demonstrations, promotes Yuki-tsumugi transmission.
Although it's considered a luxury fabric today, Yuki tsumugi silk was originally a subsidiary of the silk industry in the region. In terms of luxury goods, Yuki-Tsumugi silk would be most likely to be found in a 'socially conscious' sector. The item is environmentally friendly, ethical, profitable, and sustainable, closely tying into history and heritage. The ancient fabric is inextricably bound up with the beauty of well-done products and processes. Currently, about 130 artisans maintain this treasure through the association. Yuki-tsumugi Kimonos will remain the most popular garment among the Japanese since high quality surpasses trends. However, Yuki tsumugi silk textile is regarded as one of the most outstanding Japanese silk fabrics.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/yuki-tsumugi-silk-fabric-production-technique-00406) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%ABki-tsumugi) (https://kogeijapan.com/locale/en_US/yukitsumugi/) (https://thefashionglobe.com/yuki-tsumugi)