What is "BORO?"
BORO is clothing and cloth that the people of Japan have used for decades or even centuries.
From stray clothes to underwear and even bedding. Worn out and haggled BORO was considered shameful in Japan and never made its way to the public stage.
Now, the beauty of such BORO is attracting attention from around the world.
Encounter with Japanese Vintage "BORO"
The day I first encountered BORO, I thought to myself, "Oh, my God!
I was so impressed by the way the fabric was carefully cared for, not to be taken lightly, but to be carefully cobbled together as something with a life of its own. I was so moved. It brought tears to my eyes. People hundreds of years ago took very, very good care of things."
I also felt that "BORO" was an antithesis to our modern society, in which we are overflowing with things, and when things become old, we simply replace them with new ones.
Do you know the word "MOTTAINAI"?
It is said to be a word that only exists in the Japanese language.
It is a word that expresses the spirit of ecological and sustainable Japanese people who use things with care.
It expresses the spirit of the Japanese people who treat things with care as if they have life in them.
"BORO" has a special beauty by repeating "Sashiko" (stitching)
Cotton cloth was a precious thing for the common people.
Cotton was especially expensive for farmers living in rural seaside and mountainous areas. In the cold regions of Tohoku and other regions, people used to make stitches on layers of linen or cotton cloth to keep out the cold.
In this way, the cloth was used for a long time. Various fabrics and patterns are intricately intertwined with family histories and memories, giving them an unparalleled beauty.
Therefore, every BORO is beautiful.
You may love it for its uniquely Japanese patterns and how much it has decayed, but don't stop at just appreciating it.
People of that time did not waste a bit of cloth, but reused it over and over again through generations.
BORO that has been spliced together over and over again has developed a unique beauty that cannot be brought out in something new.
Written by:
Reiko Shiozawa, a Selector of Vintage Blue Japan
This is a blog by a Japanese store owner who deals only in authentic Japanese vintage.