The word “kasuri” originated from the Malay/Indonesian language meaning “bind” or “tie.” Kasuri textile production began in the Ryukyu Kingdom (now Okinawa). The Ryukyu Kingdom began producing bashofu kasuri textiles in the 1300s for export to China, Korea, Southeast Asia and Japan. Now, the representative types of kasuri made in Japan are in Hingo-kasuri in Hiroshima, Iyo-kasuri in Ehime, and Kurume-kasuri in Fukuoka.
The distinctive feature of kasuri textiles is a technique that twines and dyes vertical threads and horizontal ones together to create patterns, designs or images in the material. Kasuri patterns have distinctive fuzzy edges and look as if they were splashed onto the fabric. Because the individual threads are dyed versus printed on one side of the fabric, the design which is woven into the fabric allows it to appear on both sides of the fabric.
All of Faburiq's cotton pocket squares are made from Kasuri textiles.
Author: Aruña Quiroga