The secret to the comfort of KYO WAZARASHI MENSYA gauze

About WAZARASHI

WAZARASHI, a traditional Japanese craft method, is the scouring process of removing impurities from the cotton fabric.  

Today, the conventional method introduced from the West which allows general mass production is the mainstream on the pretreatment of the cotton fabric.

By processing the cotton fabric for 4 days into a specialized cauldron, the WAZARASHI method avoids applied stress on the cotton fabric, resulting in a fluffier and softer finish.

In contrast, the Western method can be carried out about 40 minutes under mechanical processing. Even though it saves time, it also puts a lot of stress on the cotton fabric.

KYO WAZARASHI MENSYA, The original brand of Daitou Shingu, sticks to a traditional Japanese scouring process, removing the impurities from the cotton fabric. Therefore, we employ the cotton fabric using the WAZARASHI method with specialized cauldrons, which only a few remaining in Japan.

 

a comparison of the cross-section of the cotton yarn processed using different methods（photographed using an electron microscope）

【The cross-section photo of the WAZARASHI method】    

【The cross-section photo of the conventional method】

As seen in the photo, fabric processed using the WAZARASHI method, has gaps between each fibers, resulting in a round cross-sectional form of the cotton yarn, which is a distinctive configuration.

The Gaps between each fibers facilitate capillary action, making the fabric easier to absorb and remove moisture such as sweat.

Evaluating the characteristics of the cotton fabric

We measured and verified what kind of characteristic differences existed in fabric due to variations in cotton scouring processes, using the “KES” system, a texture measurement system for fabric.

Fabric for comparison

  1. Greige fabric
  2. WAZARASHI
  3. WAZARASHI ＋ Washed once
  4. Conventional method (＋ dyeing)

All are gauze fabrics. We prepared four types of fabrics: Greige fabric (before the finishing process), and fabrics processed with WAZARASHI or conventional techniques.

Evaluation Method

The evaluation was conducted by a professional institute（Kyoto Municipal Institute of Industrial Technology and Culture）with “KES” texture testing machine.

Measurement items and terms of texture evaluation used are as follows (objective evaluation of texture for Japanese traditional bedding)

  • Primary hand value…tensile, shearing, bending, compression, surface（the smoothness and frictional properties of a fabric surface）
  • Total hand value…Basic texture ＋ airflow resistance ＋ water content
  • Terms of texture evaluation …Softness, Stiffness, Smoothness, Fullness, Roughness

Graphical representation of characteristic data

The primary hand value's measured values were replaced with more general expressions and graphed.


The result shows that the WAZARASHI fabric is "softer（fluffier and fitter）" than other fabrics.

Total hand value of texture


In the total hand value of texture, the results indicate that Japanese WAZARASHI MENSYA gauze suppresses "roughness" and enhances "softness," while the overall evaluation of the fabric improves after washing.

These data clearly show that the more KYO WAZARASHI MENSYA gauze is washed, the fluffier it becomes on the skin.