■ A World-Class Textile, “Oshima Tsumugi,” Faces Extinction

The reasons are clear: 

- 37 highly complex processes, taking over a year to complete 

- Only a handful of artisans capable of executing each step 

- An urgent and growing fear in the industry: 

“If nothing changes, Oshima Tsumugi will truly disappear.” 

Still, the younger generation of artisans in their 30s and 40s is working tirelessly to keep this tradition alive. 

Each visit to Amami Oshima has made me feel the gravity of this crisis even more deeply.

■ Why kay me Decided to Act

- When Japanese manufacturing falls to 1%, skills and opportunities must be protected 

Since its founding in 2011, kay me has produced 100% made-in-Japan items.

Yet Japanese apparel manufacturing has already dropped to 1% of domestic distribution. Sewing, dyeing, weaving, material development - the techniques that once defined Japan’s craftsmanship are quietly disappearing.  Oshima Tsumugi is a symbol of this problem.

Preserving these techniques for the future is core to kay me’s mission.  

That is why we launched this Cultural Inheritance Project. 

■ Reimagining Oshima Tsumugi as “Wearable Art for the Modern Woman” 

Oshima Tsumugi is breathtakingly beautiful, but wearing it as a traditional kimono in everyday life can be difficult.

So we asked ourselves:

Is true preservation not only about protecting tradition,

but evolving it into forms that can live in the future?

With this in mind, we:

- Recreated traditional Oshima Tsumugi motifs through print dyeing,

- Transformed them into stretch, washable, no-iron dresses,

- Designed for modern, active women.

The iconic patterns such as Tatsugo and Akina Bara reinterpret Amami’s nature and classical motifs as contemporary wearable art.

We also created limited-edition accessories using genuine Oshima Tsumugi: 

Belts crafted from authentic woven Oshima Tsumugi 

Elegant shirt bow-ties 

Upcycled card cases made from precious offcuts  

These items were developed collaboratively with local artisans - modern, functional items that help expand demand beyond kimono, and pave the way for global recognition of the craft. 

■ The Piece You Wear Helps Create the Future  

In other words, your choice becomes a direct investment in the future. 

■ In Closing 

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We hope you can feel the presence of Amami’s sea and sky, and the spirit of 1,300 years of craftsmanship woven into every piece. Most of all, we hope you will carry this tradition forward through the generations - simply, through your everyday life.