A Lenth of Shinafu: Linden Fiber Cloth with Beautiful Patina from Wear

early twentieth century
30" x 12", 76 cm x 30.5 cm

This length of bast fiber cloth is called shinafu. Shinafu is woven from the fibers taken from the inner bark of the linden tree. 

Shinafu is shows a distinctive coppery color as this fragment does. This fragment is appealing in a rustic, beautiful way because of the dark-toned surface patina and the rippled, textural effect, both attributes caused by years of use and hard work.

Shinafu is a wiry, scratchy cloth and it was used in the making of objects such as bags or noren. 

The yarns of this piece are particularly attractive for their thickness and for their "bark-yness" and because their weaving creates a richly textured country cloth which is still very durable even today.

A classic Japanese indigenous plant fiber, linden cloth is collectible and this piece is a wonderful example.

This is a very good length for anyone studying bast fiber plying or weaving or anyone who wants to augment their collection of Japanese folk textiles by adding this fairly difficult to find cloth.