Kiriko Is a Lifestyle Brand Forged From the Spirit of Mottainai

A Japanese value that embraces one to waste nothing and recycle everything.

Long ago, cloth was hand-woven with patterns that held meaning and dyed with materials available through the seasons. In this way we cycled with the seasons, not trends. We made memories with our belongings instead of replace them with mass produced goods. When we began to lose touch with the tradition of making in this way, we stopped treasuring our clothes.

We are always searching Japan for vibrant Kasuri - both vintage and those made today in craft houses generations’ old, hand-dyed Shibori, and centuries old Boros. Our apparel and accessories display the incredible traditional craftsmanship and care small textile factories in Japan boast. By purchasing our products, you are not only helping Kiriko Made as a small emerging brand, but also all the factories in Japan that create the materials we are fortunate enough to use.

Kiriko was founded in 2013 as a response to the current trends of consumption. Products today are produced in ways that are often described by terms such as mass production, mass consumption, and fast fashion. The media has built up “value” in terms of what is the newest. This has consequently created an audience that no longer pays attention to how their products are made, what materials are used, and the durability of what they consume.

Our start was humble, selling scarves and pocket squares made from Japanese Kasuri fabrics at craft events in Portland. From the beginning our mission has always been to try to create timelessly designed products that last; merging Western and Eastern culture, the new with vintage. Through this effort and the great support of other local businesses and financial organizations, we now carry over 2,000 items ranging from original products, curated craft items, collaborative pieces,and antique Japanese items that we believe will last for a long time.

Instead of merely placing value in an object made from expensive materials, we always seek to find our own solutions to mass consumption and mass waste with the effort of becoming the first ‘No Fabric Waste’ brand.  A hole in a section of fabric can be viewed as a flaw, but we interpreted it as an opportunity. Our products embrace the flaws within the vintage materials we use, enabling each piece to become one of a kind. 

We hope that the life and the story of these fabrics can continue onwards.

“Wear Them, Love Them, and Hand Them Down”.