Tote bag (small) 2,800 yen (large) 6,800 yen, pouch (large) 2,500 yen, (small) 1,500 yen made of Aizu cotton. All products from Aizu Momen Aoi Seisho

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Aya Sengoku takes on the challenge of “revitalizing crafts”

2020.2.27

4.Reviving a 100-year-old loom. The appeal of the new brand “Aizu Momen Aoi Seisho”

Tote bag (small) 2,800 yen (large) 6,800 yen, pouch (large) 2,500 yen, (small) 1,500 yen made of Aizu cotton. All products from Aizu Momen Aoi Seisho

“Aizu Momen” was born about 400 years ago and has been handed down in western Fukushima Prefecture. It is a traditional craft that has been worn as noragi since ancient times because it is made of thick and durable material. At its peak, there were around 30 weaving shops, but recently the number has decreased to two, and the industry has been in decline. Meanwhile, local IIE CEO Takuro Yatsu and his colleagues happened to find a broken loom. Yatsu felt that ``losing this would be a huge cultural loss,'' so he tracked down the owner and took over the item. Takashi Chiba, the director who works with him, decides to repair the looms. As if going back in time, he searched for old parts and lost techniques and was able to revive the loom. Aya Sengoku, the 2th generation owner of Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, has high hopes for his efforts at IIE Co., Ltd., which started producing Aizu cotton with his own hands.

 

Story: Takuro Yatsu

A major turning point for us was the relocation of our office to the Aoki district of Aizuzakashita-cho.

This area was once a major industrial center where Aizu Momen flourished and was even called ``Aizu Aoki Momen.'' This seems to be due to the history of the nearby Aga River, which often flooded, so indigo was grown as a crop that was resistant to flood damage, dye houses appeared, and Aizu cotton began to be woven.

The building in the center of the photo is the IIE headquarters. We create new designs in an environment surrounded by beautiful nature. The building in the center of the photo is the IIE headquarters. We create new designs in an environment surrounded by beautiful nature.

The building in the center of the photo is the IIE headquarters. We create new designs in an environment surrounded by beautiful nature.

However, over time, the textile industry declined, and the number of factories that were around 30 at its peak decreased to just two. As we listened to stories from local residents, we learned that there were remains of an abandoned factory in the Aoki area. There was an old, unused loom that had been left behind by the times and had been stationary for about 2 years. Aizu is a snow country. The roof of an abandoned factory collapsed under the weight of snow. By the time we arrived, the dyeing factory had already been demolished by a demolition company. When I saw this, I felt that there would be a great cultural loss if we did not save at least the looms.

 

Until then, we had been developing a brand called ``IIE Lab.'', which was selling products such as stoles using fabrics woven by other weavers. However, after encountering an old loom, he began efforts to revive Aizu Aoki Momen. Chiba revived the looms that had been dormant for a long time in this area, and our Aizu Momen production began.

``IIE Lab.'' is a research institute that rents out a closed kindergarten and proposes Aizu Momen products that suit modern lifestyles. There is a workshop with looms, a sewing machine room for sewing, and a directly managed store. ``IIE Lab.'' is a research institute that rents out a closed kindergarten and proposes Aizu Momen products that suit modern lifestyles. There is a workshop with looms, a sewing machine room for sewing, and a directly managed store.

``IIE Lab.'' is a research institute that rents out a closed kindergarten and proposes Aizu Momen products that suit modern lifestyles. There is a workshop with looms, a sewing machine room for sewing, and a directly managed store.


First, we found the owner of the old loom, asked him to hand it over to us, and with the help of local people, we began by transporting the loom. Eventually, Chiba revived weaving, and in 2019, the brand was finally launched, ``Aizu Momen Aoi Weaving Works.''

A shop inside IIE Lab. An old loom is displayed in the center. A shop inside IIE Lab. An old loom is displayed in the center.

A shop inside IIE Lab. An old loom is displayed in the center.

We believe that the products of Aizu Momen Aoi Weaving Works, which are woven while preserving the local culture passed down by our ancestors, are worthy of being loved by generations. Masu.

 

A characteristic of ``Aizu Momen Aoi Weaving Works'' is that it uses rare fabrics produced on looms that are about 100 years old, and expresses the natural colors that have been loved in Aizu in a way that is easy to incorporate into your daily life. The plain weave fabric is woven slowly and carefully all the way to the selvage, making it dense and durable due to the large number of warp threads and the firm weft threads. The selvage is the edge of the cloth. When weaving with newer machines, the threads end up sticking out from the edges of the fabric, but with this loom, the threads flow in the same way as hand weaving, so the threads don't stick out and can be easily cut. It has a clean design that looks like a panashi.

Because it is an old loom, even if it breaks down, it cannot be replaced with a new part. For this reason, they now have no choice but to use parts from looms that are no longer in use or make them from scratch. Because it is an old loom, even if it breaks down, it cannot be replaced with a new part. For this reason, they now have no choice but to use parts from looms that are no longer in use or make them from scratch.

Because the loom is old, it is difficult to obtain new parts even if it breaks down. For this reason, I now use parts from looms that are no longer in use.


In fact, this loom can only weave about 12 meters a day. Because it is woven using old looms, the width of the fabric is very narrow, around 36 to 37 cm. It takes a lot of time and is by no means efficient. That's why we create products with designs that don't waste fabric.

 

When launching the brand, Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten provided consulting. We started this project with the help of many people's time and thoughts, so we want to make it happen somehow. I also hope that Aizu Momen will spark an interest in Aizu and encourage people to come sightseeing. To that end, we would like to provide products that can be used on a daily basis by a wide range of age groups, especially young people.

 

→Next is Toru Uchida (President and Representative Director of Urushi Rindo).

 

(Titles omitted)

Takuro Yazu Representative Director, IIE Co., Ltd. Born in 1986 in Aizuzakashita-cho, Fukushima Prefecture. He graduated from the Department of Construction, Faculty of Engineering, Niigata University, and the Graduate School of Environment and Energy Studies, Waseda University. While he was in graduate school, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, and he worked hard to run a volunteer soup kitchen for a month after the earthquake. After that, he worked as the manager of the community cafe Rokusai at Machizukuri Kitakata, a specified non-profit organization. Started manufacturing Aizu Momen products as a personal business in 2011, and founded IIE Co., Ltd. in 2013. We started Aizu Momen Aoi Weaving Works in 2019. Takuro Yazu Representative Director, IIE Co., Ltd. Born in 1986 in Aizuzakashita-cho, Fukushima Prefecture. He graduated from the Department of Construction, Faculty of Engineering, Niigata University, and the Graduate School of Environment and Energy Studies, Waseda University. While he was in graduate school, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, and he worked hard to run a volunteer soup kitchen for a month after the earthquake. After that, he worked as the manager of the community cafe Rokusai at Machizukuri Kitakata, a specified non-profit organization. Started manufacturing Aizu Momen products as a personal business in 2011, and founded IIE Co., Ltd. in 2013. We started Aizu Momen Aoi Weaving Works in 2019.

Takuro Yazu

IIE Co., Ltd. Representative Director

Born in 1986 in Aizuzakashita-cho, Fukushima Prefecture. After graduating from graduate school, he made a U-turn to his hometown of Aizu. Started manufacturing Aizu Momen products as a personal business in 2011, and founded IIE Co., Ltd. in 2013. In 2019, IIE Co., Ltd. launched a new brand, “Aizu Momen Aoi Seisho.”

Text by Taisuke Segawa

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