VOL.12 | WASHI

2022.09.08



In this issue, we will talk about washi yarn, which is intertwined with cashmere, wool, alpaca and other yarns and used for knitwear and bottoms

The history of washi is said to date back to 1400, when it spread from the state to the aristocracy, then to the warriors and finally to the townspeople.

The raw material used for washi is pulp made from coniferous trees with short fibres, which has a smooth surface and lacks durability.
In comparison, washi is made from long-fibre plants such as kozo (paper mulberry) and mitsumata, which are extremely durable and are now used to repair and restore important intangible cultural assets and paintings.


The washi yarn used in ATON is made in a long, quiet workshop in the mountains of Niigata Prefecture.

The ultra-thin washi paper from which the threads are made in Shikoku undergoes a painstaking process in this workshop before finally becoming washi thread.


The first step is to cut very thin Japanese paper.

The width used depends on the yarn (cashmere, alpaca, wool) to which it is twisted, but it is cut to a width of 1.2 mm to 1.5 mm.
As the washi is flat when just cut, the yarn is twisted several times until it finally takes the form of a thread.

The twisted yarn is then woven into a tubular shape.


This is a very important process in order to give the threads elasticity.

Furthermore, in order to soften the yarn, it is washed in underground water in its woven tubular form and then dried naturally over a period of several days.



The winter months are very cold in the workshop, and the yarn is allowed to dry slowly and naturally over a period of about 10 days at the most.




The dried tubular knitted fabric is attached to a long stick and the threads are carefully unravelled from the knitted fabric one by one by hand from the top end. It is a very long process.

Once the unravelled threads are properly rewound, the washi thread is finally completed.


The products produced from washi yarn, crafted with great care and time, have a tailored appearance and functionality unmatched anywhere in the world and are made by artisans unique to Japan, a country with few natural resources.







ALPACA WASHI | CREWNECK SWEATER
COLOR | BLACK / BEIGE / NAVY
SIZE | 02/S , 04/M , 06/L
PRICE | 36,000yen + tax
MATERIAL | ALPACA 82% / WASHI 18%
MADE IN JAPAN

Loose-silhouette crew-neck jumper with a moderately relaxed feel. The material is created from the moderate fur and flesh of alpaca, and the three-dimensional, sweatshirt-like raglan sleeve silhouette utilises the tension of Japanese washi paper.






ALPACA WASHI | OVERSIZED CARDIGAN
COLOR | BLACK / BEIGE / NAVY
SIZE | 02/S , 04/M , 06/L
PRICE | 39,000yen + tax
MATERIAL | ALPACA 82% / WASHI 18%
MADE IN JAPAN

Loose-silhouette cardigan with a moderately relaxed feel. Characterised by a three-dimensional, blouson-like silhouette that utilises the texture created by the moderate fur and fleshiness of alpaca and the tension of washi paper.






CASHMERE WASHI | CREWNECK SWEATER
COLOR | BLACK
SIZE | 02/S , 04/M , 06/L
PRICE | 85,000yen + tax
MATERIAL | CASHMERE 63% / WASHI 37%
MADE IN JAPAN

This crew-neck jumper is one size smaller than the oversized silhouette and has a moderately relaxed feel. The silhouette has a strong, heavy-weight, sweatshirt-like backing and a high neck with double ribbing.



CASHMERE WASHI | HIGHNECK SWEATER
COLOR | BLACK
SIZE | 02/S , 04/M , 06/L
PRICE | 87,000yen + tax
MATERIAL | CASHMERE 63% / WASHI 37%
MADE IN JAPAN

This high-neck jumper is one size smaller than the oversized silhouette and has a moderately relaxed feel. The silhouette has a strong, heavy-weight, sweatshirt-like backing and a high neck with double ribbing.



CASHMERE WASHI | KNIT PANTS
COLOR | BLACK
SIZE | 02/S , 04/M , 06/L
PRICE | 89,000yen + tax
MATERIAL | CASHMERE 63% / WASHI 37%
MADE IN JAPAN

Knitted trousers with a powerful silhouette, like heavy-weight, lined sweatpants. They have a good tapered shape towards the hem, so they can be worn neatly and elegantly. In addition to being made from washi paper, which resists stretching, the knitted fabric on the reverse side is changed only at the knees, and is designed so that the knees do not stick out.