Mino Washi Paper Thread "Itobashira" - Plant-Dyed 6-Color Set

"Mino Washi Itobashira" is a plant-dyed yarn made from Mino washi paper cut into fine strips, twisted into paper thread, and colored with natural botanical dyes. Its gentle texture — possible only with 100% natural materials — and the deep, layered hues unique to plant dyeing are what make this yarn special.

It comes in six colors: white, red, purple, blue, green, and yellow. All six are delivered together as a single set. White is the undyed, natural color of the paper itself, while red comes from madder, purple from logwood, blue from indigo, green from kihada (Amur cork tree) with indigo, and yellow from kihada — each color drawn from a different plant.

Mino Washi Itobashira begins with Manila hemp, which is formed into washi paper in Japan, then cut into narrow tape-like strips and twisted just the right number of times to finish the thread. Its distinctive structure layers upon itself like a whirlpool, trapping a great deal of air within and giving the yarn functional qualities such as insulation and moisture absorption and release.

With plant dyeing, the shade differs subtly with every batch, depending on the weather that day and the condition of the raw materials. You can enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime character that only natural materials possess — something uniform industrial dyes can never offer — as the seasons turn.

The yarn is suited to a wide range of handcrafts, including knitting, weaving, tassels, and accessory making. By combining the six colors, each with its own distinct expression, you can also enjoy creating pieces that make the most of a full palette.