We love Tenugui towels

Our tenugui towles are made from fabric leftovers that are too good to discard. This means our European Tenugui towels are clean - unused: brand new, yet aligned with our principle of reuse, up-cycling, and recycling.

Also, head seamstress Marga van der Vet of Handmade Luxury Home is so industrious that you may want to bookmark this page—more tenugui towels will be added, fresh from her fabric-filled atelier.

What are Tenugui towels?

Tenugui (手拭い), meaning "hand wipe," are traditional Japanese cotton towels that have been part of daily life since the 9th century. Woven from cotton, these cloths are practical and functional. They serve as hand towels, dishcloths, or washcloths in everyday life. They can also be used as napkins, place mats, or table runners.

The thinner ones work as neckerchiefs or headbands. The most decorative ones can be hung on walls as art, and they can even replace disposable paper as reusable gift wrap. The oldies are ripped to pieces and used as cleaning cloths.

Tenugui towels are left unstitched on two sides to speed up drying. Their elongated rectangular shape also allows them to be used as hanging scroll-like wall decorations -if desired-. Highly valued when uniquely hand-printed by Japanese artisans, they come in a variety of fabrics for a variety of uses.

Why buy versatile Tenugui towels?

Fumio Sasaki writes in his book 'Goodbye Things' -on minimalism- that he uses one kind of liquid soap (likely Castile) and only tenugui towels for his entire hygiene and home routine. He keeps life simple. No need to sort bathroom towels from kitchen towels or laundry. If that concerns you, use the right washing temperatures.

You want to integrate them into your kitchen, bathroom, gift-wrapping station, or even reuse old ones in your shoe-polish box.

They make lovely, surprising gifts. Gifts that lead to conversations. 

Our Circular Tenugui towels are assembled from quality textile leftovers from other Handmade Luxury Home projects. Once sold, they cannot be restocked.

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