Founded in 1874, Rienzome strives to deliver handmade warmth through its hand-stenciled tenugui, multi-purpose cotton cloths, featuring Japanese woodblock print masterpieces by iconic artists such as Hokusai, Kitagawa Utamaro and Utagawa Hiroshige.

The storied house Rienzome began in Nihonbashi, the commercial center of 17th century Tokyo (then called Edo). For more than 140 years, Rienzome has been renowned across Japan for their kimono, yukata, and tenugui, which are all created using premium quality fabrics and timeless designs.

Rienzome’s tenugui, in particular, are made from kimono fabric, making them slightly wider than traditional tenugui. Their tenugui are made using the chusen dyeing technique, where a stenciled patterned appears on both the front and reverse sides of a cloth.

One characteristic of chusen dyeing is the irregularity of color and pattern, giving each tenugui a personalized charm that is enhanced with usage and age. With continued use, the texture of tenugui also changes.

In addition, chusen dyeing results in longer-lasting color because the dye permeates the fabric, making tenugui a suitable choice as a priceless artwork, or even eco-friendly everyday use as a dishtowel, washcloth or a hand towel.