Soft Textures and Thoughtful Design
Shinto have been producing hand-crafted premium towel textures in Osaka, Japan for over 100 years. Respectfully using characteristics from the Senshu towel through a method called atozarashi, a post-weave refining process technique to create a distinctive ‘clean’ finish. The starch, oils, and other impurities in the fabric are removed by washing and bleaching after weaving, increasing the cloth's absorbency while retaining a fluffy, soft texture.
Shinto blends over 100 years of knowledge and technical experience through preserving traditional production techniques creating the best, combining innovation and creativity. Focusing on their historical knowledge and technical expertise, they explore new ideas in technology and design, consistently reviewing materials, function and design for the best towel textures.
When it comes to towels, the search for a good towel can be difficult. There are often several aspects such as absorbency, comfort, texture, pricing and so on. One person's good towel might not be the same for others and differs from user to user. Through staying close to the users and feedback, Shinto constantly focuses on superior absorbency and luxurious softness while feeling fresh throughout launderings and soft to the skin.
Craftsmen and artisans thoroughly think through each design from the 2.5 Ply-Gauze to the Yukine 2 is thoroughly thought through by craftsmen and artisans, further preserving Shinto’s authenticity and originality. Artisans focus on a routine cultivated by their history of experiences that maintain and keep half-century of old looms that are still active to create something unique and new.
Shinto’s collection focuses on three styles of yarns, Yukine, 2.5 Ply Gauze and Inner Pile, all of which offer different functions for everything you want in a towel and more. The Yukine set comes as a face towel and larger bath towel in three soft colour palettes, crafted from cotton using the unique refining Atozarashi method which maximises the cotton’s natural absorbency. The distinctive texture features refined cotton fibres that rub against each other for a distinctive squeaky feeling as the texture becomes softer through washes and launderings.
The 2.5-Ply Gauze towel is designed with function in mind using exquisitely unique and soft fabrics that are lightweight, highly absorbent and can be used as both cloth towel and blanket throw. Its diverse features can be seen similarly to the Inner Pile Towel which blends the best soft texture from the Gauze and highly absorbent Pile fabric for a voluminous soft combination, producing a thick and fluffy style whilst soft and lightweight for a classic reinvention of the towel. The Inner Pile serves as a bathing or washing towel and doubles up as a blanket or throw for multipurpose use. Both the Gauze and Inner pile has two outer layers of ultra-soft gauze with an inner layer of highly absorbent pile cotton.
It's clear that Shinto takes great care and thought into their designs, a committed set of values towards creating textures and fibres that are primarily functional and are multipurpose. Whether it's a washing cloth and towel around the home or throw for the bed, it's not often towels can be used for both.
Shinto really craft a special towel which ticks a lot of boxes, it's luxurious, soft texture against the skin is unrivalled, not to mention how quickly each piece absorbs the water leaving the fibres smooth and almost untouched. The well thought atozarashi method combined with years of knowledge and techniques into the craft is exceptional.
Check our full collection online and in store for ultimate high absorbent softness!