You might think that a towel is a towel, but head to Imabari in Japan’s Ehime Prefecture and you’ll soon learn otherwise. There, you’ll find the “mecca of towel production” and over 200 factories that make some of the softest, high-quality and absorbent towels.
What makes Imabari towels so distinctive is the artisanal nature in which they’re crafted. Their texture remains soft as the finer and longer cotton fibres aren’t hard-twisted, and pure water used from the Soja River contains fewer impurities and harsh metals. They’re also dyed using the unique Sakizarashi Sakizome technique, where the yarn is dyed before it’s woven, to ensure that vibrant colours and patterns don’t fade as easily.
Imabari towels are so well known in Japan that they’re often gifted on special occasions!