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how to launder cotton keiko gi? natural indigo pigment - what it is? does the cotton indigo-dyed hakama stop staining? how to take care of a wooden weapon?
there are several ways depending on its fabric and pigment used in the dying process:
hakama is ready to use, but it will still be staining, more about staining here: "does the cotton hakama dyed with indigo pigment ever stop staining?" similarly to the black cotton hakama, this one also shrinks during the laundry about 5-8% which is considered in the making process; in the product's specification we provide you with two different lengths for each size: before and after the very first laundry, though you must remember that after couple of trainings it will soften and slightly lengthen, about 1-2 cm.
how to launder cotton keiko gi? both white and coloured cotton keiko gi are allowed to be laundered in the washing machine, but in the temperature of up to 30 celsius degrees. cotton is shrinking in the laundering process, the higher the temperature, the more it will shrink. we take it in the consideration while making your keiko gi, that is why the new one may be a bit loose-fitting; depending on the gi's colour you should use the specific detergents (either for white or colored cloths). natural indigo pigment - what it is? natural indigo pigments is gathered from the leafs of a tropical plant known as true indigo (indigofera tinctoria); it has got natural antibacterial peculiarity, which lengthens the cloth's life time. indigo pigment is one of the oldest pigments used to dye textiles. it was known in mesopotamia, ancient egypt, greek and rome. it has also been used in medical and cosmetic purposes. it is used in japan and eastern asia since 7th century ad. it has been especially important in japan during the edo age (15-17 c. ad), silk had been forbidden and the only effective pigment to dye cotton was the very indigo. it is a perfect remedy for deodorizing, repelling the insects and isolating. additionally, this pigment greatly improves the durability of the textiles dyed with it, that is why our hakamas dyed with the indigo pigment endure several years of hard training. does the cotton indigo-dyed hakama stop staining? no, it does not. natural indigo pigment, despite its large range of advantages, has got one disadvantage: it's instability. the staining stops being visible after some time, but the hakama itself will fade similarly to jeans trousers. this effect will be the strongest in the parts of the most common rubbing and contact (such as knee area), it will be the weakest in the upper parts of the pleats.
even the toughest wood deforms and looses its qualities if badly stored, this is why taking care of your weapon is so important, during the training it is being moisturized with sweat, so it should be dried right after getting back home; would must dry freely in the room temperature, you mustn't use any kind of dryer or heater pointed directly at the weapon, putting the weapon on the radiator is strictly forbidden; weapon should be dried and stored horizontally, or using special weapon stand; leaving the weapon wet in the case, leaned against the wall is the easiest and shortest way of damaging it; regularly after every and each training the weapon should be verified for any damages such as flakes and slivers, such damages should get smoothed using sandpaper.
because obi is made from high quality cotton only hand wash is allowed, in cool water with a little very light detergent; please do not wring and do not use a drier, both can make creases difficult for ironing; dry your obi in vertical position in shadow; iron it using thin linen or cotton textile (sheet works great), iron's temperature should be set to "cotton" or "two dots", if the iron has got a "steam" option we recommend turning it on, if it does not we recommend dampening the textile. |
frequently asked questions
how to launder hakama?
how to launder cotton keiko gi?
natural indigo pigment - what it is?
does the cotton indigo-dyed hakama stop staining?
how to launder hakama?
there are several ways depending on its fabric and pigment used in the dying process:
1. the easiest hakamas to take care of are the ones made of mix of cotton and rayon and hakamas made of mix of rayon and polyester. this hakamas are allowed to be laundered in the washing machine with standard detergents in the temperature of 40 celsius degrees, turned inside out. you may iron your dried up hakama on its obverse using linen textile to preserve it from the gloss effect.
2. a little more difficult hakama to take care of is the one made of black cotton. it is also allowed to be laundered in the washing machine but in the temperature of up to 30 celsius degrees. cotton is shrinking in the laundering process, the higher the temperature, the more it will shrink. the very first laundry causes it to shrink about 1-1.5%, which is considered in the making process.
3. the most difficult hakama to take care of is the one made of cotton dyed with a natural indigo pigment. this hakama requires to be laundered several times before its first usage, because of the pigment's naturalness and caducity. (more information about the pigment here). we provide you with the hints to get the best results underneath.
a) cotton hakama dyed with the indigo pigments is allowed to be hand washed only; a large portion of the pigment is flushed out with water during the very first laundry causing the hakama to change its colour to dark blue. laundering it in the washing machine causes it to decolorize unevenly instead of a steady decolorizing effect occurring while hand washed.
b) wash your hakama in cool water with no detergents. it rather is a process of flushing the pigment out with wather than the actual washing.
c) in the laundering process do not squeeze nor rub the hakama.
d) wash your hakama in vessel large enough to immerse it spread over, bath is the best.
e) do not remove the white tack which is holding the front and back pleats before washing your hakama, because if you do, the pleats will deform and it will be much harder task to iron your hakama.
f) fill bath or other vessel you will be using to wash your hakama with about 15-20cm layer of cold water, immerse the hakkama and its straps spread over, keep it in the water for a while, till every piece of cloth is wet, then grab the hakama for its koshita and upper front part and take it out of the water, letting the water to flush the pigment out, after a while repeat this process, do it until the water takes on a dark blue colour, replace the water with the new one. depending on the hakama's thickness it is considered to perform about 10-20 washing cycles, final washing cycles will cause the water to take on a soft sky-blue colour.
g) after finishing the laundry process hang the hakama using its straps and belt loops so it droops, do not wring the hakama.
h) dry the hakama in the shadow.
i) clean your bath or other vessel after finishing the laundry, leaving it dirtied by the indigo pigment heavily hampers laundering in the later time.
j) when the hakama dries up, iron it using thin linen or cotton textile (sheet works great), iron's temperature should be set to "cotton" or "two dots", if the iron has got a "steam" option we recommend turning it on, if it does not we recommend dampening the textile; the steam easies ironing the creases out.
k) take of the tacks after ironing.
hakama is ready to use, but it will still be staining, more about staining here: "does the cotton hakama dyed with indigo pigment ever stop staining?"
similarly to the black cotton hakama, this one also shrinks during the laundry about 5-8% which is considered in the making process; in the product's specification we provide you with two different lengths for each size: before and after the very first laundry, though you must remember that after couple of trainings it will soften and slightly lengthen, about 1-2 cm.
how to launder cotton keiko gi?
both white and coloured cotton keiko gi are allowed to be laundered in the washing machine, but in the temperature of up to 30 celsius degrees. cotton is shrinking in the laundering process, the higher the temperature, the more it will shrink. we take it in the consideration while making your keiko gi, that is why the new one may be a bit loose-fitting; depending on the gi's colour you should use the specific detergents (either for white or colored cloths).
natural indigo pigment - what it is?
natural indigo pigments is gathered from the leafs of a tropical plant known as true indigo (indigofera tinctoria); it has got natural antibacterial peculiarity, which lengthens the cloth's life time. indigo pigment is one of the oldest pigments used to dye textiles. it was known in mesopotamia, ancient egypt, greek and rome. it has also been used in medical and cosmetic purposes. it is used in japan and eastern asia since 7th century ad. it has been especially important in japan during the edo age (15-17 c. ad), silk had been forbidden and the only effective pigment to dye cotton was the very indigo. it is a perfect remedy for deodorizing, repelling the insects and isolating. additionally, this pigment greatly improves the durability of the textiles dyed with it, that is why our hakamas dyed with the indigo pigment endure several years of hard training.
does the cotton indigo-dyed hakama stop staining?
no, it does not. natural indigo pigment, despite its large range of advantages, has got one disadvantage: it's instability. the staining stops being visible after some time, but the hakama itself will fade similarly to jeans trousers. this effect will be the strongest in the parts of the most common rubbing and contact (such as knee area), it will be the weakest in the upper parts of the pleats.
