Hana Yoshida of Saisei (meaning ‘Reborn’) upcycles elegant scarves from her grandmother’s handmade kimono. These lovely vintage fabrics are prized not just for their durability but also for their imperfections.
This scarf is made from upcycled vintage Aizome (Japanese indigo dyed) cotton fabric. Cotton becomes durable once dyed with indigo (Ai) so, in the old days in Japan, people used these kimono as daily clothes as well as special occasion outfits. When the fabric was damaged, it wasn’t thrown away. The damaged area was patched, and remained in use for a long time. Nowadays this patched fabric is called Boro, and is loved and highly regarded.
Hana Says: “I feel privileged to give a new life to these fabrics that used to be worn and loved. When I unpick kimono, I think of somebody in Japan who spent days to hand sew the kimono for her loved ones. I think of someone who wore it with much care and love.”
