LEINWÄNDE hopes not only to create clothing, but
also to grow together with the artisans and
manufactures, who have supported us.

With this in mind, we create collections using traditional
techniques inherited in various areas in Japan.

The Peony Jacquard Shirt and Peony Jacquard Trousers
from the Autumn Winter 2021 collection are created
using Bishu Jacquard textile with original Peony designs.

The Bishu Jacquard is manufactured only in the region
of Bishu, known as the biggest textile producer in Japan.

In this Behind the Canvas, we would like to introduce the
background story of the Bishu Jacquard.

Ichinomiya and Konan cities of Aichi Prefectures used to
be called "Bishu". In the regions, Nobi Plain, a fertile soil,
lies and Kiso River, known for its beautiful riverside
views, flows eloquently.

Bishu, blessed with a rich water source essential for
producing high quality textiles, has been known as one
of the best textile producers in Japan since ancient
times.

Bishu especially is known for its wool textile and for it's
high quality wool waving, is named as the world's top
three wool textile production regions.

Historically known also for its cotton and silk textiles,
Bishu continues to produce not only wool textiles, but
also other kinds of high quality woven textiles, using
techniques passed down on for many centuries.

This factory, which creates the jacquard textiles used in
Peony Jacquard Shirt and Pants, not only manufactures
clothing textiles, but fabrics for luxury curtains.

In the past, there were over 30 knitting factories in the
city of Konan, but today, only 5 remain.

Especially in recent years, as the baby boomers are
retiring, the number dropped even more.

Even in such a challenging situation, they continue to
make efforts so that the techniques inherited amongst
the artisans will remain and the local industry will
continue to thrive.

The biggest difference between this factory and the
foreign textile factories is that they can wave many
different counts of yarns.
A rapier loom is a waving loom which the weft yarn is
carried through the wrap yarns to the other side of the
loom by carriers called rapier.

By using this loom, both a fat yarn and an extremely
thin yarn that weighs only 1g for 40,000m, can be used,
but it cannot be mass produced.

They say that they pride in themselves that they create
textiles with a mindset of pure artisans everyday.

This waving loom, which creates LEINWÄNDE's original
jacquard textile, uses about 5400 warp yarns.

The sight of thousands of needles moving quickly and
the weft yarn being carried through them is quite
incredible.

The beautiful yarns are woven in the blink of an eye and
create exquisite patterns.

This jacquard textile is made using a rayon 100% yarn,
which is biodegradable.

For the weft yarn, we use a slub yarn, which has thick
and thin sections, as an accent.

By placing 3 straight yarns and 1 slub yarn for the west
yarns, the textile will not be too flat.

We hope we can be a part of passing down the artistry
passed down over hundreds of years.

Photography: Sayuri Murooka

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