Although it is often mistaken for a type of cotton, mawata is categorized as a type of silk, and is made from fibers taken from the cocoon of a silkworm. while silk is a fabric that is made from fibroin, a sticky liquid protein, secreted from silkworms, mawata is manufactured by taking boiled cocoons, stretching the fibers across a frame, and finally layering them on top of each other and dried until they become a solid silk fabric. Like silk, mawata is extremely light and durable and possesses high insulating properties. For many years, it has been used to make outfits to protect against the cold. Mawata was commonly used to make undershirts and worn under kimonos to keep warm.
In Japan, the development of sericulture technology made progress especially during the Edo period. After the opening of the country to the rest of the world, raw silk became one of Japan's major export items. Many villages started to grow silkworms domestically, which led to increased mawata production. However, mawata production eventually went into decline with the development and emergence of new materials after World War II. Cocoons that have been simmered for hours are individually disentangled, then stretched out thinly and uniformly and stacked on top of each other to form a multi-layer of insulation. This work requires a high level of skill, but nowadays, the numbers of artisans capable of this skill in Japan are extremely limited.
We brainstormed whether we could utilize mawata, which has the ability to retain heat in the layers of air created from piles of thin fibers, into modern clothing, and eventually ended up using the fabric to create some outerwear for the Fall/Winter collection. We were pleasantly surprised about how warm these pieces were. The fabric itself is very lightweight and isn't bulky like down material, which also results in outerwear that drapes beautifully.
Mawata is made from single strands of silk secreted from the mouth of silkworms, and because the silk is spun into long, whole-length pieces, it is extremely strong yet soft. From a long time ago, people have utilized the phenomenal abilities that creatures in the natural world possess, and we have always believed that we should reconsider and reexamine by taking a closer look into cultures and techniques from the past.
Irikin Mawata
The history of irikin mawata spans over 400 years. The name 'irikin' is said to have been derived from its resemblance, in shape and size, to a purse for holding 'oban'(large-sized Japanese gold coins) and 'koban'(small-sized coins). However, from ancient times, 'mawata'(silk) was considered to be a valuable commodity and was used for payment advances or even in lieu of cash in fiscal transactions. Hence, the name may have come from this reference to gold. In the ancient Silk Road routes that ran between Europe and Asia, mawata was considered to have equal, or in some cases, even more trade value than gold.
Even today, the quality of domestically produced irikin mawata is extremely high and can clearly differentiate itself from mawata produced overseas. The density of mawata is constant, with no irregularities, and its textiles are characterized by their luster. The culturing of silkworms was a good match for Japanese culture, and craftsmen created and passed down these traditional textile-producing techniques from generation to generation.
Mawata Production Process
Selection of cocoons
Only domestically grown cocoons are used to produce irikin mawata.
Damaged cocoons that have been soiled or deformed in shape are carefully removed, and only the highest quality ones are selected to be used.
Cocoon boiling
The cocoons are placed into a mesh bag and soaked in warm water for approximately one hour. Baking soda is then poured and dissolved into a separate bowl filled with simmering water, and the cocoons are boiled for several hours until they become soft. The mesh bags are flipped upside down during the process in order to boil them evenly, as the balking soda removes the sericin, or silk gum, that holds the cocoons together.
Rinsing
The boiled cocoons are then cooled in cold water. After they are cleaned and dried, each individual cocoon is separated so that they do not tangle together.
Streching out the bag-shaped mawata
Warm water is then poured into a tub, where the cocoons are stretched out. Each cocoon is lightly pressed under water using two fingers and stretched into approximately 5 cm-sized balls. The thin cocoon shells are opened and stretched out, a the dead pupa and pieces of caterpillar skin found inside the cocoon are removed. Approximately five cocoon-shaped bags are layered on top of each other to create a single bag-shaped mawata.
Hand spinning
Bag-shaped cocoons that have been dried overnight are carefully spun by hand, one by one. Because they are stacked into layers, they contain a considerable amount of air and are very limber. The finished silk threads are highly uniform with regard to entangling, thickness, and feel, allowing very fine threads to be pulled out. These threads comprise the main material for Yuki Tsumugi silk products, which have been designated as an important and intangible cultural relic.
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