What is Labor Day?

Labor Day is always the first Monday in September and was the idea of Peter J. Maguire. Some more recent research says it may be his brother's Matthew's idea but it is not entirely certain. Peter was a labor union leader who in 1882 proposed a celebration honoring the American worker. The founders were looking for two things: a means of unifying union workers and a reduction in work time.

The organizers of the first Labor Day wanted to create an event that brought different types of workers together to meet each other and recognize their common interests. However, no government or company at that time recognized the first Monday in September as a day off. The issue was temporarily solved by declaring a one day strike in the city. All striking workers were then expected to march in a parade, eat and drink the rest of the day. The New York Tribune's reporter who covered the event felt the entire day was one long political barbecue, with “rather dull speeches.”

The date chosen was simply “convenient,” according to Maguire, because it was midway between Fourth of July and Thanksgiving. Although the day’s focus on organized labor has diminished over the years with the decline of manufacturing jobs and workers, the holiday has become a way to mark the end of the summer season and the start of the school year.

Faburiq recognizes the importance of this day for two reasons. Our small team consists of the small but skilled textile workforce in New England area; and our mission to create accessories that not only serve as complements to your wardrobe but with a "dress for success" style and attitude in mind. From the humble beginnings of the average manufacturing worker to the guy in the suit. Labor Day has come a long way and is something worth celebrating for.

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Author: Aruña Chong Quiroga

Ref: The Conversation: "Have we forgotten the true meaning of Labor Day? It’s not about the end of summer" by Jay L. Zagorsky

Faburiq In Art Basel Miami 2016

Faburiq was honored and thrilled to be part of Art Basel Miami 2016, in collaboration with Suntory Whisky Toki and Japanese artist and designer, Jay Shogo.

Using only Sharpie permanent markers, and 20 to 100 Sharpies per painting, Jay's art can be seen at “5POINTZ” in New York City, “Wynwood Walls” in Miami, and various locations across Tokyo.

Faburiq's pocket squares were carefully selected and curated for over a period of 2 months before the final pieces were determined for the artist to do a unique painting over. The artwork was then framed and displayed at Toki's event in Art Basel. In the spirit of the sterling and iconic whisky brand, the display was very Toki driven. Toki means "time" in Japanese and the vision is about old traditional luxury meeting the new and modern luxury.

As a men's clothing brand, we are proud to not only represent gentlemen's haberdashery but that the accessories we make are indeed wearable pieces of art. Needless to say, we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be included in this elegant display that embodies timeless fashion, inspiring art, and an appreciation for tradition and history.

Photos by TOKI & Jay Shogo

Author: Aruña Chong Quiroga

Exploring Arimatsu

Arimatsu village is one of Japan’s hidden treasures, whose history never seems too far from the past. The town is the birthplace and probably best known for its traditional textile craft, Shibori, used for kimono and various designer garments today. “The whole town is really beautiful. People here live and breath their Shibori craft,” explains Sebastian, whose textile affections inspired his trip. It’s like a living museum - people still live here, and the town is filled with contemporary designer boutiques and modern local bistro and cafes. You can also enjoy the scenery of the village’s serene Zen forest anytime of the day. 

Arimatsu (有松町 Arimatsu-chō) was a town located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Today, it is approximately three-and-a-half-hours by Shinkansen (新幹線) from Tokyo. It is now part of Nagoya, a town filled with Tokugawa and Edo treasures. Shibori, also known as “Japanese tie-dye”, is a form of resist dyeing in which fabric is folded, tied, twisted or wrapped to create patterns and various motifs. The variation of methodology and motifs it has created are given different names and each has symbolic significance. 

One of the main attractions to learn and experience Shibori in Arimatsu is the Shibori Kaikan Museum. The true treasure is on the second floor where you’ll see the Shibori Craftswomen from Arimatsu. “I was introduced to Okasan Aiko during my visit where she demonstrated the different Shibori techniques. She showed me the different processes of Shibori from Kanako (regular tie-dye), Kumo (wrapping), Nui (stitching), Arashi (pole wrapping and twisting), Itajime (shape resistant/clamping) and many more Shibori techniques. The Shibori collection displayed is breathtaking, most of them dyed with the natural and traditional dye – Indigo or Japanese Blue. Shibori fabric has an amazing texture. The tiny knots that are hand tied not only create a visual pattern, but also a raised texture. The tools and vintage technology varies within the different processes of Shibori. Workshops are held where various techniques are taught by the Master Shibori craftswomen,” explains Sebastian. 

"Shibori needs patience less than time and more than heart because it's a craft beyond words. Devote to such a craft only with love." Shibori Craftswomen of 有松町 Arimatsu-chō

As Master Aiko continued wrapping her Kumo Shibori, she talked about the Annual Shibori festival, a celebration of the Shibori art and the town itself, held the first weekend of June along the old Tokaido highway. The festival floats with performances of Dashi floats and Karakui mechanical puppet shows performed by Shibori Komachi and Fukuotoko (lucky men). Some of the old historical houses are open to public offering a peek into truly traditional homes.

Many old historical houses from the Edo period still line the Tokaido road. Shibori designer boutiques, cafes and serene local shrines could be found in the backyard of Arimatsu village. The vivid art of Shibori is truly a cultural experience beyond time and history, and today, placing its mark on contemporary fashion. Experience Shibori within Faburiq’s haberdasheries and shop the story!

*If you would like to know more about Kimono fabrics click here and if you would like to know more about Shibori fabrics click here.

Authors: Alexander Sebastianus and Aruña Chong Quiroga

A Classic Boston Wedding

The Couple: Alexander and Alexandra Ross

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Venue: The Boston Harbor Hotel

Photographer: Shane Godfrey Photography

Story: The bride wanted the groomsmen's accessories to match the bridesmaids' dresses. When she showed us the color hue of the dresses, it was a no brainer to pick from our selection of Indigo or more famously known as "Japan Blue" fabrics. It was a truly "blue-themed" wedding. The matriarchs from the bride and groom's families wore blue, with many family members adorning this classic and gorgeous color palette.

Groom's Pocket Square: White Maple Tree Pocket Square w/hand-rolled edges. Solid white kimono wedding silk and intricately woven into it's background are the "matsu" (pine tree), "sasa" (bamboo grass), "hagi" (japanese bush clover), "kaede" (maple leaf), "kiku" (chrysanthemum) and "ume" (Japanese plum).

Groomsmen's Pocket Squares: Kikko (Tortoise Shell) Indigo Pocket Square w/hand-rolled edges; Oshima Tsumugi Silk, Double Ikat Technique

Author: Aruña Chong Quiroga

Kyoto's Yuzen Tradition

Kyoto is the traditional industrial and textile hub of Japan. Here, most of Japan's kimonos and obis are woven, dyed and embroidered. In Kyoto, you can see kimonos as part of daily life, as a fashion statement and as an extricable part of the culture, from the performing arts to the myriad ceremonies to local customs. When we visited this city last, we were able to experience the tradition of Kyoto Yuzen or Kyo-Yuzen.

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Kyo-Yuzen is applied in two styles: Tegaki Yuzen (hand-painted yuzen) and Kata Yuzen (stencil-dyed yuzen). A fan painter in Kyoto named Yuzensai Miyazaki invented the yuzen hand-painted techniques in the Edo period around 1700. With the popularity of his fans, he began to receive commissions from aristocrats to paint kimono fabrics. Yuzensai Miyazaki developed the process to create high quality, dyed fabric whose art would not be ruined by rain, humidity, sweat, sunlight and so on, yet retained the artistic and nuanced qualities of hand painted artwork. Painted yuzen uses a rice-paste resist (a barrier that blocks certain parts of the cloth from being dyed). Learn more about Tokyo Hand-Painted Yuzen. 

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Katazome or stencil dyeing is a dyeing method that uses a stencil to create repeated patterns, either using dye paste or a resist paste. The stencil is usually made of a stiff type of paper infused with persimmon juice, and is washed and reused until it falls apart. Edo Komon and Kata Yuzen are types of Katazome stencil dyeing methods. Kata Yuzen techniques were developed by Jisuke Hirose in Kyoto around 1880. With combinations of stencil, brush and resist techniques, the dye craftsmen created fabric that is its own art form. The characteristic point of Kyo-Yuzen dyeing is to dye complicated patterns with many colors and tonal gradation. And, of course with the dyeing process, fabric can be produced in larger quantity than by just hand painting.

After the fabric is dyed it is dried, steamed, washed and dried. The steaming process sets the yuzen dye. Without this labor-intensive process, the product cannot be called yuzen. The color transmission is incredible, resulting in fabrics with impressive and deep colors. The fabric below shows one of our Yuzen kimono patterns - the Indigo Kiku - made into a pocket square.

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In some ways, kimonos are a centuries-old version of ethical luxury. You can wear them for decades, even if your body shape changes. When they become used, you can make them into a futon, cushion or any creative application. They cycle through seasons, not trends. In that regard alone, the price-performance of kimonos is actually quite high.

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Author: Aruña Quiroga

Isezaki-Kasuri Weaving

In the Gumma prefecture, resides the Sadao family, the last living family that carries the tradition of Isezaki-Kasuri weaving. We spent an afternoon with Mr. Sadao as he walked us through the meticulous process of creating this handcrafted fabric. Named after the city of Isezaki itself, Isezaki-Kasuri (Kasuri meaning a splashed pattern) is a plain weave using silk thread also known as Isezaki-Meisen.

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平織り: Hira-ori or Plain weave is the simplest and most common of textile weaves. It is also known as the Tabby weave. The filling threads and the warp threads interlace alternately, forming a checkboard pattern. These plain fabrics are woven with pre-dyed silk threads, keeping the characteristics of silk. They are woven manually with various techniques ranging from simple splash patterns to more complicated splash patterns.

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Silk textiles have been woven here for centuries due to a flourishing silkworm industry. Approximately 250 years ago, the area became busy enough for a city to be established, and textiles were shipped to Edo (now Tokyo) on boats via Tone-gawa River. Although Isezaki owed its growth to textiles, demand for textiles declined drastically as woolen and silk/wool mix kimono fabrics became more popular. Isezaki-Kasuri weaving was designated a traditional craft in 1975.

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                                         The unassuming entrance of the Isezaki-Kasuri workshop where the fabrics are produced.

 Author: Aruña Quiroga

Tokyo Dyed Komon or Tokyo Some Komon

At Faburiq, we search Japan for centuries old traditions in fabric making. In our recent trip to Japan, we had the chance and privilege to meet Atsushi Tomita and his son, Takashi Tomita, whose family has been manufacturing Komon kimono fabrics since 1914. Located in the Shinjuku-ku area of Tokyo, their family run factory lies on the upper stream of River Kanda where there is ample supply of neutral river water essential for dye works. Komon means "small repeated patterns" and dyed Komon goes back to the Muromachi period (1333 - 1573) where the samurai class began to use them as daily clothes. In the Edo period (1603 - 1868), Komon was used for kamishimo, the samurai's formal wear. Each samurai family has it's own pattern and the pattern was only unique to one family. As each family competitively created original designs and techniques, dyed Komon eventually developed into a form of craft. Today, Komon dyeing has been adopted into ordinary life. The modern and sophisticated Komon kimono with a 600-year tradition is mostly worn for tea parties and chic casual today.

The process of Edo Komon are divided broadly into 5 steps:

• Designing the template and pattern carving. Groups of most skilled pattern-carvers from Ise, modern Mie prefecture, have been specializing in this demanding task for more than a thousand years, probably since the Heian period.

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• Coloring Adjustment and Paste Mixing. Powdered glutinous rice and rice bran are mixed with water to make a soft dough. The dough is steamed and kneaded with the required dye solution until it looks like paste. Dyes are tested carefully on cloths until the right shade is found. "Ji-iro-nori" is the paste for the area outside the pattern and "Me-iro-nori" is the paste for the pattern itself.

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• Katatsuke or Pattern Dyeing.  The pattern is placed on a white silk cloth on a long board and the "Me-iro-nori" is spread evenly. The patterned cloth is then dried in the sun.

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• Shigoki or Field Dyeing. When the paste is completely dried, colored paste is spread evenly on the cloth so that it covers the whole cloth. This step is called "Shigoki".  Sawdust is sprinkled over the paste-covered cloth to prevent it from adhering to other sheets of cloth.

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• Finishing which involves steaming, washing and drying. Before the coloring paste dries out, the cloth is put into a steam box for 15 to 30 minutes at 90 too 100 degrees Celsius. This process allows the dye contained in the paste to permeate evenly into the cloth. Until 1963, dyed fabric has been washed in the river Kanda. But now, underground water has been used to splash the paste off the cloth with a machine. Lastly, the cloth is spread onto a board to dry, and then smoothed out with steam and iron.

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The Shinjuku dyers along the River Kanda have played a big part in Tokyo's busy kimono industry since the beginning of Japan's modernization. Tokyo became one of Japan's three main production centers of kimonos, with Kyoto and Kanazawa. In recent years, many tradesmen in the Tokyo dyeing industry have been designated as Masters of Traditional Crafts under Japanese laws for preserving traditional crafts. The visit served as a perfect opportunity to scout for new fabrics and get inspired. Shop culture, shop Faburiq.

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Author: Aruña Quiroga

和柄: Wagara

Wagara literally means Japanese patterns or design. These patterns were created by combining elements of painting and Chinese calligraphy in the Heian Period (795-1185). To this day, there are patterns that are still being created for Wagara. It is a design found only in Japan and is very traditional.

There are ten common and basic Wagara designs. Seigaiha (青海波), which is a big wave of the blue ocean; Tatewaku (立涌); Kikkou (亀甲), which is the shell of a turtle, and is a common design representing the intellect and bliss throughout China and Korea; Kagome (籠目); Hishi (菱); Sankuzushi (三崩し); Ten (点); Shima (縞); Uroko (鱗), which is a mixture of equilateral or isosceles triangles; and Ichimatu (市松). Additional designs include Kacho-huugetu (花鳥風月) and Huujin-raijin (風神雷神). We decided to use the Seigaiha (青海波) pattern for Faburiq's packaging.

Today’s designers make new Wagara by mixing contemporary patterns with old ones. For example, patterns that resemble nature such as seasonal flowers, pine, bamboo, plum, cherry blossoms, running water, moon, waves, mountains, plants, and creatures like the butterfly, goldfish, crane, and rabbit, are used. There are also some patterns that originate from Sanskrit characters.

In the past, the Japanese wore kimono as a form of casual wear. But of late, they no longer wear the kimono, only for formal and special occasions. The kimono industry and makers begin to decline and to bring back it's appeal, they started making other products that incorporated traditional Japanese designs such as bags, pouches, and clothes. The perception of Wagara has since evolved and has notably improved. It was once considered to be old-fashioned but now it is considered unique and elegant. Faburiq strives to retain a lost art that originated from ancient traditions while keeping the need to create modern, wearable and classic designs.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Kiku-no-hana or The Chrysanthemum Flower

If you haven't already noticed, the Chrysanthemum, or Kiku in Japanese, is a recurring flower on many of Faburiq's pieces. Why is this particular flower so prominent on Japanese fabrics? I want to share with you some of the symbolism behind this unique flower that makes up so many of our designs.

The Chrysanthemum is a symbol that represents longevity, endurance and integrity. It is the most celebrated of all Japanese fall-flowering plants. It was first introduced to Japan from China as medicine during the Nara period (710 - 793 AC), when the Japanese Royal Family became fascinated with the Chrysanthemum. Eventually it became the Imperial Family's Emblem in the Kamakura period (1192-1333). But it was only in 1869, in the Meiji period (1868-1912) that Kiku with 16 petals was officially adopted as the symbol of the Japanese royal family.

There are more than 150 seals or mon featuring this wonderful flower. The Imperial Seal of Japan is the most famous of them. The Imperial Seal of Japan feature 16 petals on the front and 16 petals on the back (only the tip of the petals can be seen on the back). The Japanese government uses the 16 petals seal for official documents such as passports. The Chrysanthemum was also used as symbol of the Throne of the Emperor of Japan. There is also the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum – the highest Japanese honor order awarded by the Emperor. We can also find the Chrysanthemum on 50 yen coins, kimono cloths, wallets, bags, and many other accessories in Japan. It is important to notice that white Chrysanthemum is used for funerals and graves in Japan and China. On the other hand, red Chrysanthemums are given to the people you love or, at least, are very fond of.  Therefore, be careful with the meaning of each color. 

Some of our most popular pieces that feature the Chrysanthemum flower are shown below. These pieces are made to be fun or formal but always evoking elegance and beauty.

Red Chrysanthemum Pocket Square

Orange Flower Pocket Square

Chrysanthemum and Diamond Pocket Square

White Chrysanthemum Pocket Square

Chrysanthemum and Cherry Blossom Pocket Square

Light Blue Chrysanthemum Pocket Square

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Wabi-sabi: Embracing the Worn and Asymmetrical

What if, instead of fighting imperfection, you welcomed it in your life?

Believe it or not, this is the foundation of a very old way of thinking. The Japanese concept of wabi-sabi means "impermanent, imperfect and incomplete." It derives from the Buddhist way of looking at the world, which has a foundation in nonattachment, and takes its cues from the natural world and authenticity, from the handmade and the worn.

Popularized in 15th century Japan, it is a reaction to excess and lavishness. As a designer, I think of it as the anti-internet, and a similar aesthetic is undercurrent in all types of design today. Currently, it's a reaction to the sleek perfection of technology, of the cookie-cutter house or car, the bland design of corporate logos and mass-produced retail goods.

Wabi-sabi is the Japanese idea of embracing the imperfect, celebrating the worn, the used or the cracked, both as a decorative and spiritual concept. In essence, it's the acceptance of the toll that life takes on us all. If we can learn to love the things that already exist, for all their chips and cracks, their imperfections, their crooked lines or tactile evidence of being made by someone's hands instead of a machine, from being made of natural materials that vary rather than perfect plastic, we wouldn't need to make new stuff, reducing our consumption, its concurrent energy use and inevitable waste while cutting our budgets. We might also be less stressed, and more attentive to details, which are the keys to mindfulness.

At Faburiq, we design knowing our fabrics have an implied history and evidence of humanity. We have an appreciation of the stories old things have, rather than the blankness that new things shine out into the world. We pride ourselves in giving these traditional fabrics a new life by crafting them into accessories and apparel with yet, another story to tell.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Inspired by Seigaiha 青海波

The new packaging for Faburiq is here! Seigaiha 青海波 literally means "blue wave of the sea". The double circle patterns resembling ocean waves around the label is not only found on fabrics but on packaging and pottery. This pattern has been used as a clothing motif in Japan for more than a thousand years and also used on ancient Chinese maps to illustrate seawater. The pattern originated from Middle Eastern culture and was introduced to Japan through China around the 11th century.

Just as blue ocean waves are the movement and the current of changing tides, such is life itself, always in motion and a journey. For me, the blue color conveys a sense of calmness and tranquility while the waves represents motion. An ideal combination whilst not always easy to accomplish, but is perfect as packaging for something truly special.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

銘仙絣: Meisen-Gasuri

Meisen silk is woven from pre-dyed silk threads (Ikat technique) and is the densest type of Ikat fabric in the world. Meisen is a moderately lightweight silk weave with a hard, smooth touch. The average person on the street in Japan will recognize meisen as what we call ikat. However, meisen may also be a solid color fabric, or woven entirely with undyed, unbleached yarns. So actually, meisen is the weave and kasuri is the dye method. Commencing production around 1868, Meisen silk became hugely popular in the 1920s/30s amongst fashionable Japanese women for everyday wear. Heavily influenced by European painters and art deco style, Meisen silk exhibits striking, bold and geometric prints that reflect the heyday of its production. Meisen ceased major production in the 1960s. 

To make meisen fabric, threads are first loosely woven and then dyed using stencils. The warp or the weft threads may be discarded at this point and new ones woven in to create the initial patterns. An alternative method is to stretch the threads as if they were woven, and then tightly bind the design areas before immersing the fabric in dye. The bound areas resist the dye, and when woven, this results in a design with rough edges because the threads are not evenly aligned. After the fabric is woven, additional hand painting, dying or embroidery is completed before assembling the kimono.

Today, Meisen is woven in the general region of Chichibu and Isezaki using yarns called tama-ito (a thick, seasonal raw silk) and noshi-ito (silk thrums) to weave a very strong, thick cloth used in every-day clothes. Centers of production are to be found in Kyoto, Isezaki, Chichibu, Ashikaga, Kiryuu, and Hachiouji. Although production of fabrics with Meisen style weaving has dwindled, what is left is a testament to the continuing dedication to craft and tradition alongside the rise of machine manufacturing.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Stockholm's Got Pocket Square Fever!

Every year, my family and I travel to different parts of the world in search of culture. Here are images from my recent trip to Stockholm and boy oh boy, the Swedish love pocket squares! Gentlemen everywhere were seen adorning them, day and night, and the men's shops were never lack of selection and designs. Check out these playful and delightful ways the Swedes display this trendy accessory!

Pocket squares in a trophy.

All the gentleman's essentials.

On Sale doesn't mean shabby.

Love the versatility of this piece - four pocket squares in one.

LOVE how the pocket square is also used to accent a coat.

Elegantly dressed gentleman whom we had the pleasure of sharing a table with at the Östermalms Saluhall (local Food Market).

Just simply red.

Beautiful fall colors!

Nice BOW touches.

And trousers as well!

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Fall and Winter 2014 Sneak Peek...

The Crane or Tsuru often appearing in Japanese textiles is a symbol of good fortune and longevity due to it's fabled life span of a thousand years. 

The Bamboo symbolizes the strength of one's character. The Bamboo bends and flexes but never breaks. It keeps it's delicate structure during storms and strong winds. Like the bamboo, one must never break or lose your sense of self no matter how the world treats you.

In Japan, white is the color of angels and gods. It is the color of cleanliness and represents reverence, purity, simplicity, humility, youth, winter and snow.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

Japanese Inspired

Having always been inspired by Japanese products and in the manner they are produced, this is one item that is a necessity in every person's life - towels. Simple as this item might be, and how easily one can overlook it’s purpose and importance, this is one of my favourite items that I get to use daily. These towels are made by a company established in 1934, Kontex, in Imabari City in the Shikoku region of Japan.

The design and production of these towels are unlike any other I’ve encountered. Using carefully selected cotton variety and fibers from different regions throughout the world and traditional weaving machines that gives weight to texture and softness over efficiency, a simple item has turned into a work of art. The towels are then finished off by being washed in the abundant wellsprings of underground water from the melted snows of Mount Ishizuchi to thoroughly remove the starch and wax without additional impurities becoming attached to the thread.

Like the Kimono, which originated as early as the 5th century AD, the evolution of the fabric itself is rich in history and the fabrics are still frequently hand-made today. The bolt of fabric that a Kimono is made from is an artistic creation touched by the hands of a designer, stitcher, weaver and dyer. Rarely does modern machinery play a significant role in the production of a Kimono fabric. The technical traditions of these artisans have enabled many Kimono fabrics to be recycled due to the quality of their skill. Damaged kimonos can be disassembled and resewn to hide the soiled areas. Historically, skilled craftsmen laboriously picked the silk thread from old kimonos and rewove it into a new textile using a recycling weaving method called saki-ori.

These are the inspirations behind Faburiq. Meticulous craftsmanship, beautifully preserved kimono fabrics reborn into the modern men’s Pocket Square.

Author: Aruña Quiroga

New Patterns