Shared by friends and collaborators of Japan House London, 'Words & Thoughts' is a collection of words, characters or phrases in Japanese which are particularly poignant to them or for our time.
Sudō Reiko, whose work was displayed in MAKING NUNO Japanese Textile Innovation from Sudō Reiko, is one of Japan’s most influential contemporary textile designers, renowned for creating innovative textiles, championing new sustainable manufacturing methods and working to highlight Japanese textile heritage.
She shares: 襤褸 ('boro': rag, shabby)
"There is a Japanese saying ‘I may wear rags ('boro') but my heart is brocade ('nishiki'),’ meaning that we should not judge people by their appearance. Both brocade and rags are types of cloth, one being more obviously embellished with expensive gold and silver threads. Yet in the far north of Japan, where it is too cold to grow cotton or flax, people invented a way of beautifully stitching together scraps of cloth precious to them, to extend their useful life while making them thicker and stronger against the harsh climate and hard field work. This practice of re-using every piece of fabric to the very last goes against today’s fast fashion trends, but as we come to appreciate sustainability more and more, I do feel that 'boro' thinking is of great importance. It makes for 'nishiki' in our hearts."
「襤褸（ぼろ）は着てても心は錦（にしき）」、人は見た目ではなく、内面こそが大切であるという日本の諺です。襤褸も錦も、いずれも布です。錦は金糸銀糸で織った艶やかな布を指します。一方、日本の東北地方には麻、綿の布を糸で縫う刺し子という技法があります。布の補強や保温のための刺し子は、使い古された布裂を継ぎ合わせ再利用する時にも用います。布地に強度を持たせたり、厚みを持たせ、野良仕事や過酷な冬の寒さに耐えるための工夫です。一枚の布を最後まで使い切るなど、ファストファッション全盛の現代では考えられないかもしれません。しかし持続可能性が問われている中、襤褸について考えることも大事かなと思います。心は錦になりますから。