A traditional technique applied to a contemporary version of “rainbow-colored textiles”

“Rainbow-colored textiles” change color depending on the angle from which they are seen. Gold leaf, platinum leaf, and “washi” paper covered with thinly cut shells are cut finely into threads. These are used as weft yarn and incorporated into a weave created using “hikihaku,” the traditional technique for “Nishijin” brocade, then woven on a high-speed loom. The material is not dyed; instead, yarn with color expressions are used in this environmentally-friendly weave.

To bring out the beauty of the rainbow, a contemporary version named “raden (mother-of-pearl) hikihaku” is created by designing the weave based on precise calculations, down to the degree of glitter, then woven.