Majotae, a hemp cloth aiming to become Japan's standard fabric

Since ancient times, hemp has been an essential part of Japanese life, from everyday life to Shinto rituals. Hemp cloth, woven from hemp, was used as a primary clothing material until the mid-Edo period, when cotton cultivation stabilized and cotton became widespread. However, after the war, for various reasons, hemp cloth ceased to be widely distributed. A dream project has been launched to revive hemp cloth in modern times and make it a standard fabric in Japan once again.

The project is being undertaken by Shinichiro Yoshida, a natural fabric researcher; Genbei Yamaguchi, the 10th generation head of Kyoto obi craftsman Kondaya; and Avex Group Holdings, a leader in culture, arts, and entertainment. The hemp cloth fabric brand "Majotae" was born from this challenge by these three parties. On October 24th, a talk session was held at Daikanyama Hillside Terrace featuring Yoshida, head of the Asayo Project, and leading Japanese textile designer Reiko Sudo. Yoshida, who has been researching hemp for 30 years, explained the characteristics and history of hemp, saying, "As I researched hemp fabric, I began to wonder why we don't make this wonderful fabric today. It's quick-drying and has excellent heat retention. It's highly durable and becomes increasingly soft with bleaching. Ramie has long been considered a high-end material, while hemp has been considered a more common material. However, my research has revealed that hemp thread was also used in the luxurious yuzen dyeing of the Edo period." The history of hemp fabric has been cut short due to its thin fibers being unsuitable for spinning and the prohibition of domestic hemp production after World War II under the Cannabis Control Act enacted by GHQ. However, the lack of industrial production until now may indicate its potential as a fabric. After more than three years of trial and error, Mayotae was born. "We use harmless hemp from overseas sources and spin it into thread using Japan's cutting-edge spinning technology. Going forward, we'd like to establish a system to produce Mayotae using harmless hemp grown in Japan," says Yoshida. Looking forward to seeing how Mayotae will become more widely accepted, Yoshida says. "When we worked on the interior design of a luxury resort hotel in China, we used hemp fabric for everything from sofas and bedsheets to ornaments and walls. There's a high level of interest in natural materials in China, and the fabric was well-received for its beautiful appearance and pleasant texture." Regarding what hemp he'd like to work with, Yoshida says, "I think it would be interesting to combine hemp with natural materials like kibiso (the thick, hard threads silkworms first produce), alpaca chest hair, and colored sheep's wool to create textiles. I'd like to experiment in various ways." His eyes sparkle with the possibilities of this new fabric.

Hemp cloth has the properties of being quick-drying, refreshing, highly insulating, and having strong yet soft fibers, making it suitable for a wide range of commercial applications in all seasons. Such an appealing material is why Yoshida wonders how people would like to use Asoyo-made hemp cloth, and what is it best suited for?

Yoshida concludes with a smile, "Obi craftsman Yamaguchi didn't develop heat rash this summer when he wore an Asoyo-made shirt. And some hemp cloth from the Edo period has been found to have high antibacterial properties. There are many examples of quick-drying and antibacterial properties. But how it should be used or what it's best suited for isn't something I can necessarily decide. I think that in a few years, people will decide for themselves that this product made with Asoyo is truly great."