Daitou Shingu is a Kyoto-based bedding manufacturing company founded in 1925. They have been making Futon (Japanese mattress), Zabuton (seating cushion), and garments - namely pyjamas and loungewear - for nearly a century.
Today, Daitou Shingu produce the finest gauze clothing and bedding, in order to provide quality sleep. By using "Wazarashi", the traditional Japanese cotton scouring treatment, their cotton gauze is softer and safer for sensitive and delicate skin.
What is “Wazarashi” ...?
Wazarashi, a traditional Japanese craft that processes cotton gauze without applying excessive pressure and heat. Though this traditional craft requires 4 days to complete, the original fiber structure of the cotton is preserved, resulting in a softer and fluffier cotton gauze.
Layered like a puff pastry, the textile design of the cotton gauze allows air layers to be formed. Along with the craft of Wazarashi that maximizes the natural potential of cotton, Daitou Shingu presents a collection of pyjamas that are softer, airier, and fluffier than no other.
The air layers make pyjamas breathable and act as an insulation layer that contains warmth. Transcending the boundaries of the season, the pyjamas make the skin fresh in summer and spring but cuddle the body like an embrace in winter and autumn.
4 Days of Wazarashi
First Day - Removal of the Stabilizer
Using warm water at the temperature of 90°C/194°F, the stabilizers used in the production of the cotton gauze is dissolved.
Second Day - Soft Boiling the Cotton Gauze
To remove the wax, cotton oil, and other substances from the cotton fiber, the cotton gauze is gently processed in a specialized cauldron.
Third Day - Removal of the Pigments Submerged in lukewarm water (35°C/95°F ), the pigments of the cotton gauze is carefully removed.
Fourth Day - Washing the Cotton Gauze
To ensure no chemical residue or unwanted substances to remain on the cotton gauze, the cotton gauze is washed with natural spring water multiple times. Lastly, to stabilize the cotton gauze, a stach-based adhesive is used.
What are the options?
There is a choice between six colours and either 2-layered gauze or 3-layered gauze. While both are equally comfortable, the 3-layered gauze has an extra air layer that is more suitable for winter. Also the herbal-dyed series. Resonating with the motifs of the traditional Japanese color scheme, the craft of “Herbal-Dye” utilizes the natural pigments of herbs to create an all natural dye mixture. Each herb has its own unique pigment content, meaning each set of pajamas has its own unique color.