Chusen Dyed Tenugui – Snake

A tenugui is a light cotton hand towel that has a wide range of uses, from wrapping books and lunch boxes in day-to-day life, to gift wrapping, to simply wiping hands after washing.

This tenugui was produced using a specialized hand dyeing technique, chusen. It is a technique that dyes not only the surface of the fabric but also penetrates the material so the pattern can be seen when the cloth is reversed. The making process begins with stencils that provide an outline of the pattern for glue. Then, an additional glue-like mixture is applied to create a wall that separates areas of individual colour so that the different dyes can be carefully poured onto each section directly.

The chusen dyeing technique allows the fabric to remain soft, highly absorbent, and to dry quickly. The dyed colours change over time and the tenugui becomes softer after every wash.

This hand dyed tenugui has an illustration of the snake curved into the shape of the Chinese character for snake (巳) to celebrate the zodiac animal for the year for 2025.

Use a washing net for best results when washing.

Wash alone to avoid dyed colours bleeding into other items.

Do not leave to soak.

Do not use tumble dryer.