Your Shopping Bag is Empty
BLOG
A R T I S A N - S T O R I E S
L I F E / S T Y L E
G L O B E T R O T T E R
Journal
COLLECTION
BED & BATH
PILLOWS
QUILTS & THROWS
SHEETS & SHAMS
BATH
ACCESSORIES
HONEST COMFORT AND SIMPLE BEAUTY
In 1934, Kontex was established in Imabari City in the Shikoku region of Japan. Imabari hosts a large cotton processing and dyeing industry, with a long history in producing more than 60% of towels in the country.
(Photos: Courtesy of Kontex)
Kontex seeks the most suitable type of cotton for towels and gently spins it into soft yarn. Since such delicate threads cannot withstand the stresses from modern high-speed weaving machines, Kontex artisans builds upon traditional weaving techniques and uses old low-speed machines to weave their towels. The refined properties of the yarn henceforth stay intact, giving Kontex towels their unique, beautiful, and soft texture.
"Introducing the towels as soft as the sense of happiness."
- Kontex
In Saijo near Imabari, Kontex washes all their finished towels with the melting snow water from Mountain Ishizuchi. The water in Saijo is among the softest waters in the world, allowing Kontex towels to be cleansed thoroughly of starch, wax, and other additives used during manufacturing. This final process not only enables the towels to be highly absorbent at the very first use, but also guarantees that each towel is free of impurities when it touches your skin.
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Also in Meet Our Artisans
A Jeweler's Ode to Nature
Alex Monroe jewelry is an exquisite celebration of nature and the memories that it evokes. Every piece is a testament to the designer's love for his childhood home: from the mesmerizing dragonflies flitting around the Suffolk countryside to a quirky shrimp inspired by early memories of an afternoon tea.
NDOMO: MUD CLOTH REIMAGINED
A quiet little town on the banks of the Niger River, Segou is known as the capital of mud cloth. Textile designer Boubacar Doumbia built his workshop there 16 years ago, named it Ndomo - which means "the quest for knowledge" in local Bambara language, and welcomed young people who had no opportunity to receive formal education into his collective.
A PROUD NET-ZERO: THE CLOUD RUG
The base material of the Cloud mats and rugs are the edges of cotton fabric, cut from industrial looms. They’re “waste” – a by-product of their weaving patterns – but for the weavers at Barrydale, this raw material is an invaluable ingredient for upcycling.