UP-CYCLING POSSIBILITY：SA→SHI

UP-CYCLING POSSIBILITY is a project based on the concept of “breathing new life into broken or discarded objects through technology and creativity.” By fusing tradition with modern innovation, it creates new functions and value for the future.

We focused on SASHIKO, a traditional Japanese upcycling technique born from the wisdom of the Edo period. By layering worn fabrics and reinforcing them with fine running stitches using cotton thread, they could transform old cloth into something warmer and more durable.

The Kissho patterns used in these stitches, such as Asanoha (hemp leaf) and Seigaiha (blue ocean waves), express wishes for a healthy life for the family. This combination of decoration and functionality gave rise to patchwork textiles known as BORO, which in recent years have attracted global attention for their unique beauty.

In the second phase of the UP-CYCLING POSSIBILITY Project, we explored new possibilities for BORO by embedding additional functions through the use of technology-infused threads, stitching motifs associated with “health” and “safety.”

By drawing the Asanoha pattern, symbolizing wishes for a child’s healthy growth, with conductive thread, a Hanten (a traditional half-coat) made with SASHIKO becomes a garment that responds to body movement. By stitching the Yabane (arrow feather) motif, believed to ward off evil, and Kakinohana (persimmon blossom) motif, wishing for abundance, the brightness and color of a lampshade can be controlled. Using reflective thread to create the Seigaiha pattern, a tote bag transforms into an item that ensures safety during nighttime walks. Through this process, BORO is reborn in entirely new forms.

→First phase focused on Kintsugi: TSU→GI.

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