appresearch 's List: Japanese Textile

• The origins of Ryukyu bingata dyeing can be traced back to the middle of the 15th century, when King Shoen was on the thrown. The court gave its unfailing patronage to the craft and according to a 1802 chronicle
• Ryukyu bingata dyeing was called a "floral cloth of the east" and was highly regarded at the market in Fuchien, China. Although almost completely wiped out during the Second World War,
• efforts were made to revive this craft and in 1950, the Bingata Preservation Society and the Okinawa Bingata Preservation Society were formed.
• Bingata dyeing is the only dyeing craft in Okinawa combining the techniques of stencil dyeing from China and the hand dyeing skills of Kyoto yuzen. Silk, cotton and abaca, which is a banana fiber cloth, are hand dyed using pigments and vegetable dyes.

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• Japanese textile-dyeing stencils themselves are works of art and are collected. Their making and cutting is an independent craft, and stencil cutters have been designated "Living National Treasures" by the government. Simply, three sheets of the finest grade of handmade mulberry paper are coated and glued together with persimmon tannin, smoked for durability, aged, and then the designs are cut. Even the cutting tools are wonders of craftsmanship, and watching the cutting is like experiencing a form of music.
• Rice-paste resist is applied through the stencils, which are removed, the cloth is then dyed, and the process is repeated as many times as desired.
• Removing the paste is done simply by washing (wax resist is much harder to remove).
• Amazingly delicate, minute patterns (komon) as well as bold design are both possible with stencils.
• The Okinawan bingata dyeing displays a complex use of stencils.

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