Before the abundance of cotton made it economical to all Japanese, many folks had to grow, spin, dye, and weave their own cotton to create clothing rather than buy their garments. For a historically poor lower class, it was more economical to re-use old, worn-out clothing as fabric for the production of new garments. Over time these garments could be repaired with other dyed scraps of cotton, and stitched with sashiko stitching. Though born from necessity, these garments still captivate the modern eye some 200 years later.

Age: Late 19th Century

26” x 36”, Indigo Cotton