FABRIC: KUDZU-FU

Fabric Name:
Kudzu-Fu

Origin:
Montana or Labota Kudzu, Pueraria sp

Who made our fabric:
Oigawa Kudzu-fu Weaving Studio, Shimada Shizuoka, Japan

Natural history and ecology:
Kudzu is a perennial plant that can grown up to 50 centimeters in a day. Its roots are used as an herbal medicine, “kakkonto,” a fever reducer. Arrowroot flour, made from its roots, is used for many Japanese foods, a truly versatile plant.

What makes this so special: Oigawa Kudzu-fu Weaving Studio is one of the only producers of this fabric in the world. To process the vine ready for weaving, it goes through a very labor intensive process that can take several days. Each thin strand of this final fiber is delicately knotted together to form lengths of fiber to be woven as the weft. All of the kudzu is gathered locally from Enshu, an area in the middle of Shizuoka Prefecture.

“Hundreds of knots are tied to make this fabric from a vine.”