Ainu bark cloth
Ainu bark cloth is an Ainu culture cloth woven from tree bark fiber made from native Hokkaido trees. It can be considered a variety of woven barkcloth.
History
Ainu bark cloth was first attested in writing in the 18th century during the Edo period by Japanese traders. North and East Hokkaido, Iburi, and the Saru River basin were centers of production.As trade grew, Ainu weavers began to use Japanese cotton for clothmaking.
By the mid-20th century, Ainu bark cloth production was minimal, but renewed interest from the mingei movement sparked a renaissance in traditional production.
Production and use
Bark is collected from various Hokkaido trees, chiefly lobed elm and Japanese lime. The inner bark is separated and boiled, then the bast fiber separated and dried into before being hand spun into twisted yarn. The yarn is traditionally weft using an Ainu backstrap loom, and sewn using masticated. The final cloth is water-resistant and lightweight.Ainu bark cloth is largely used to make traditional Ainu robes, and also kimono, hanten and obi.