Tenugui is a thin Japanese hand towel, rich in design, traditionally used for a multitude of purposes. Typically, tenugui fabrics are about 35 by 90 centimetres (14″ x 35”) in size, plain woven lightweight fabric. This tenugui is made with 100% thin cotton. Due to its excellent absorbency and quick-drying properties, the most common household use is that of a dish towel or washcloth. It’s an excellent cloth in the kitchen or bathroom for keeping any surfaces clean and dry.

To create a long lasting cloth that will continue to look and feel better with age and use, tenugui is made by skilled craftsmen using the traditional “Chusen” dyeing technique. This technique was established in the Meiji period in Japan, with the dye being poured through the cloth in such a way that allows it to seep all the way through each strand. The resulting patterns have no front or back, making each cloth fully reversible. Usually the long sides are finished with a selvage, and the short sides are left unfinished and will eventually show some fraying. If the loose thread is unraveled, you can easily trim it with scissors. (Fabric fraying will gradually lessen over several wash cycles. The edge can be left raw or can be trimmed evenly for a natural fringe.)

The wide variety of appealing patterns or colours on every tenugui allows it to be used for many other decorative purposes such as a table runner or placemat. Worn as a headband or scarf, used to wrap a precious item for preservation. Use it to wrap a gift, a lunch box, or a sake bottle. Beautiful and functional, tenugui is an excellent tool for every occasion and lifestyle.