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CHIBANA Hana-ori (Flower Patterned Textiles)

Okinawa Prefecture

CHIBANA Hana-ori (Flower Patterned Textiles), a type of patterned textile that has been woven extensively in the former Misato Village (present-day Chibana, Noborikawa, Ikehara, and other areas of Okinawa City) since ancient times, utilizes the technique of warp-floating flower weaving. The techniques were already established in the late 19th century, and even after the Meiji era, the weaving of utchaki (jackets), tisaj (hand towels), dujin (vests), and kimonos for festivals continued. Although it suffered devastating damage during World War II, CHIBANA Hana-ori (Flower Patterned Textiles) clothing is still worn today in traditional ceremonies (usudeku) to pray for a bountiful harvest and good health.

  • Technology/techniques/raw materials

    Technology/techniques/raw materials

    Technology/techniques

    1. The fabric must be a patterned fabric woven using the following techniques or methods.
    (1) The fabric shall be plain weave with pre-dyed yarn.
    (2) The weft threads should be inserted using a hand-thrown shuttle.
    (3) The crest shall be drawn using a "flower heddle" or a "sewn shuttle".
    (4) The crest using "Hanasōkō" is to be displayed by lifting the heddle frame by hand and hanging it on a hook.

    2. When using ikat yarn, the dyeing method for the ikat yarn shall be "hand-tying".

     

    raw materials

    The threads used should be silk, cotton, linen, etc.

overview

Craft item name CHIBANA Hana-ori (Flower Patterned Textiles)
Reading Chibana Hanaori
Classification of crafts fabric
Main Products Kimono fabric, obi, haori fabric, accessories
Main manufacturing area Okinawa City
Designated date July 25, 2012

contact address

■ Production area association

CHIBANA Hana-ori (Flower Patterned Textiles) Business Cooperative Association
〒904-2143
5-6-7 Chibana, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture
TEL: 098-921-1187
FAX: 098-989-1220

https://www.chibana-hanaori.com/

Features

A distinctive feature of this fabric is that the warp threads on the back of the material appear to float when the pattern is created.

How to make it

There are two techniques: the heddle flower technique, which uses a heddle, and the hand flower technique, which does not use a heddle and instead picks up the pattern threads by hand. ① The heddle flower (sokobana) technique is a double-woven fabric in which the flower threads (pattern threads) float in the warp direction. The pattern is created by sequentially lifting the heddle frame by hand and hanging it on the hook according to the design while weaving. On the surface of the fabric, the pattern appears to float in the warp direction, while on the reverse side, unstructured pattern threads run long in the warp direction as loose threads. ② The hand flower (tiibana) technique is also called embroidery weaving because the warp threads of the pattern are picked up by hand. The pattern appears to float in either the warp or weft direction on the surface of the fabric, and unlike the sokobana, there are no large loose threads running on the reverse side.

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