It's surprisingly warm in Tokyo for February, and we've heard reports of plum blossoms.
Will the cherry blossoms bloom earlier?
This year, even in the middle of winter, I have seen many people using first-class sunshade parasols.
With global warming, we are concerned about ultraviolet rays even in winter.
New all-weather umbrellas are starting to appear on store shelves, giving us a sense of spring's arrival.
Now, at our Higashi-Nihonbashi shop, we will be selling "scraps" that have been requested by customers for some time, exclusively in-store.
Komiya Shoten's umbrellas are made using Koshu weave, a traditional yarn-dyed fabric woven primarily on rare, narrow shuttle looms.
It is a beautifully lustrous and extremely durable fabric, however, because it is a woven product, there may be some uneven coloring or weaving scratches depending on the climate and the condition of the loom.
The fabric is then cut by craftsmen using wooden molds into triangular scraps called "kizukoma (koma)," and any that do not meet the standards at this stage are discarded.
These fabrics have the same water-repellent, water-resistant and UV coating as the umbrellas, so rather than simply discarding them, we are planning to reuse them as accessories and outlet umbrellas in-house. However, sometimes customers say they would like to create their own items to match their own belongings.
So this time, we decided to give away the "scraps" to our customers as is. They are quite voluminous and are priced at 1,100 yen including tax!
The amount varies slightly depending on the thickness and type of fabric, but there are about 15 pieces in each bag, so you can make a variety of things with one bag. (There may be some damaged fabric before it is cut.)
Please note that there may be round stickers attached to the scratched areas.
It will be sold in an original cotton bag.
Use your ideas to transform Komiya Shoten's umbrella fabric into wonderful things such as coasters, placemats, picnic sheets, eco-bags, and more.
