Linen-Gray selvedge linen pillow case

Linen pillowcase made with undyed yarn

Linen meets an old-fashioned shuttle loom.

Linen, a yarn from flax grown in Europe and shuttle looms capable of weaving selvedge linen, which is the same as antique linen, met at Tenjin-factory and became woven fabrics.

Linen made from flax, which grows only with rain and soil, has benefited mankind throughout its long history. It has enabled us to live comfortably on this earth through its natural water absorbency, quick-drying, breathability, and heat retention properties without the need for human intervention.

The bare color of linen is called "linen gray. The fiber in the flax stalks is removed through a process called retting, in which the harvested flax is spread over the fields so that the stalks can be removed by natural forces such as natural rainfall, dew, and even bacteria in the soil, which corrode the stalks. It is said that the color of linen gray is determined at this time. In other words, the linen gray color varies depending on the year it is grown, the land it is grown on, and even the weather that year. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime color woven by nature.

Today, artificial yarns and fabrics woven from artificial yarns and dyed with chemical dyes are the mainstream. Although they are convenient and reasonably priced at first glance, it is well known that they are not environmentally friendly and will soon return to nature.

In this way, linen gray fabrics can be called "nature's color woven by nature.

Because it is the color of nature, linen gray is a color that fits in well with our lives. These sheets are made of 100% natural materials that are gentle to the eyes and skin.

Please try them and see for yourself.

Shuttle Loom

Flax is excellent agricultural crop

The flax plant is a versatile plant, from the seeds of which linseed oil can be extracted, and from the stalks of which fiber for weaving can be obtained. Because of these characteristics, it is considered an excellent agricultural crop, and its cultivation seems to have flourished even in ancient Egypt. Today, Europe is the main producer of flax for textiles, with France, Belgium, and the Netherlands accounting for 85% of total production.

The fiber is extracted from the inner part of the stem, which has hollow pores. These hollow pores allow water and perspiration to soak in easily, enhancing water absorbency, while at the same time allowing it to dissipate and dry quickly, keeping the skin feeling dry and smooth without being sticky. On the other hand, when you feel cold, air warmed by your body heat enters the hollow pores to keep your body warm. In other words, linen can be used comfortably throughout the year.

In addition, linen can be washed repeatedly. Each time you wash it, the texture will soften, feeling even better.

Linen is a pleasure to use.

   Flax field

Original warmth of undyed natural materials

These pillowcases are made of a special fabric woven from linen yarns of flax grown in Europe in its pure color without dyeing.

The fabric is woven using linen gray, which is the natural color of linen, and off-white yarn, which is bleached to whiten it, resulting in a color that is in harmony with nature. The warp threads alternate between linen gray and off-white, and only linen gray is used in the weft. This type of weave is called fil-à-fil in French, and end on end in English. In Europe, it is often seen in high-end shirts and is generally woven using dark-colored and white yarns, but at Tenjin-factory, we have woven it using only undyed linen gray and off-white yarns. This gives the fabric the visual depth of a heathered appearance from up close, but from a distance, it appears as a solid. Such a heathered appearance is full of elegance that can only be expressed by yarn-dyed fabrics.

These dye-free pillowcases are very gentle to the environment and people.

  Off white：Bleaching linen gray gives off-white color.

Selvedge is a sign of good quality

 We started weaving on old-fashioned analog shuttle looms with the aim of returning to the humanistic approach to manufacturing that has been lost due to mass production and mass consumption. Shuttle looms are like hand looms powered by electricity. It still requires human hands to make cloth. The advent of the latest looms, which require as little human labor as possible in the name of labor saving, has certainly realized mass production, but on the other hand, the cloth-making site where the warmth of hands still remains has disappeared. Tenjin-factory was born as a textile factory where people make cloth and the loom is only a tool.

The shuttle loom is characterized by its ability to weave without putting a load on the threads, making it possible to create soft, nostalgic, and warm fabrics. Its charm also lies in the fact that it produces a linen fabric with a selvedge, just like antique linen. In the process of weaving the cloth, parts called selvedge are formed at both ends.  Traditionally, selvedges have been marked with colored threads so that people can tell who made them. This has somehow become a part of the design. Tenjin-factory also weaves original selvedges into various linen fabrics.

Selvedge is a sign of good quality.　　　

The part seen at the edge is called selvedge.

Selvedge is a marker of  Tenjin-factory's textiles

The tool used to weave without loading the yarn is called a shuttle

What is the pillowcase made of selvedge fabric?

Tenjin Factory’s selvage linen, like antique linen, treats the selvage itself as an integral part of the design.
When making a pillowcase, the fabric is cut to fit the size of the pillow, so the selvage remains on only one side. Even so, the presence of the selvage holds its own value.
This pillowcase is made from cloth woven with the utmost care by master artisans, with the hope that it will become an antique a hundred years from now.

Pillowcases are made from this fabric

Since the fabric is cut specifically to the pillow’s dimensions, the selvedge is present on only one side.

　　　The pillow can be easily inserted and removed through the zipper opening.

Making pillowcase just for you

This item is produced on a made-to-order basis.

 
When the fabric is in stock, delivery takes about one month;
when it is not, please allow up to three months.          Because the pillowcases are completely made-to-order, it will take some time for us to deliver freshly made pillowcases to you. Our skilled craftsmen hand cut the selvedge linen fabric woven on an old-fashioned shuttle loom, and then sew the pillowcases. Please look forward to the arrival of these carefully crafted pillowcases.

Product Data 

| Material |

100%Linen

| Made in Japan |

We can ship to world wide from Japan. However, in some cases there are some countries and regions that we cannot ship to.

| Delivery Date |　

This product is made-to-order. It takes about 3 months for delivery.

How to care linen products

1. Washing

Wash in a frictionless manner. Hand washing is recommended, but if using a washing machine, be sure to put it in a net and wash it alone. Fluff may fall out in the beginning, but this will become less of a concern after repeated washing.

　　

2.Detergent

Use a neutral detergent. Do not use detergents containing bleach or optical brighteners. Also, please avoid using fabric softener.

　

3.Water temperature

We recommend room temperature water for washing.

　

4. Dryer

Please use delicate mode. Otherwise, it may cause shrinkage.