Before fast fashion and disposable textiles, there was cloth that was made to last, and used until it could last no more.

This is a single large piece of cotton fabric, carefully unstitched from a traditional Japanese futon cover made during the early-to-mid Showa period. The checkered pattern was woven in cotton and used in an ordinary Japanese home. Its expression shifts with the light and angle. No two pieces of this cloth are the same, and no factory can replicate what time and use have done to the surface.

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Japanese vintage textiles are gaining recognition among textile artists, slow-fashion advocates, and boro collectors across Europe and North America. Fabric like this, honest, handmade, and worn with purpose, is valued for the culture of repair and reuse it carries as much as for its pattern.

Use it for patchwork, quilting, or boro repair work. Frame it as textile art. Drape it as a wall hanging or table runner. Or keep it as a direct artifact of Showa-era Japanese domestic life, a piece that lets the next owner decide its future.

One piece only. This is a genuine vintage textile, and this exact piece will not return to the store once sold.

Product Details

• Type: Japanese vintage fabric, unstitched
• Era: Early to mid-Showa period (approx. 1930s–1960s)
• Material: Cotton
• Original use: Futon cover
• Pattern: Checkered

Size

Approx. 131 × 148 cm (approx. 51.6 × 58.3 in)

Please allow for slight measurement variations.

Condition

Tears and staining are present, consistent with age and use. Please refrain from purchasing if you are not comfortable with vintage items.

This item has been washed twice by us. A characteristic vintage scent may remain. Returns or exchanges cannot be accepted for damage or odour that occurs after washing or use post-purchase. Please order only if you fully understand and accept these conditions.

The item will be compressed for shipping. Creasing may occur in transit.

Buying From Japan

Every piece at NAMBA SHOUTEN is sourced, inspected, photographed, and shipped by us from Japan. We describe condition honestly, including the flaws, because a vintage textile that hides its history is not worth owning. Orders ship worldwide with tracking.

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For questions about sizing, international shipping, customs, and returns, please visit our FAQ.