Saratetsu
Tokyo, Japan
This square linen wrapping cloth was individually hand dyed in Tokyo, Japan by Hagiwara Ichizo of Saratetsu. Saratetsu is a third-geneneration family-owned company that has been in existence since 1910. Remarkably, Saratetsu is the only company in Tokyo specialized in wrapping cloth to still utilize the time-consuming, traditional method of yuzen dyeing. Yuzen is a dyeing method that uses traditional rice husk resist.
This butterfly pattern was revived from a collection of vintage stencils that was found in Saratetsu’s extensive library of designs. Saratetsu and KotoKoto are proud to revive this beautiful butterfly pattern, symbolic of joy and rebirth. The madder red butterflies flutter across a gardenia yellow background while the reverse side is solid madder red. The skillfully finished edges allow this cloth to be used for wrapping and carrying a treasured object, topping a small table, or even draping over the shoulder as a distinctive scarf.
