After staining with red bengara, a natural Japanese pigment, additional coats of non-aged persimmon tannin are applied. This preserves the red bengara color, a process not possible with persimmon alone. 

The persimmon tannin color deepens and becomes richer over time.



Chikako Iwanaga

 Persimmon varnish paper

  ・Hyogo


  • Artist's Story

    Her vision is to launch the commercial production of a durable, water-resistant, animal-free, and sustainable leather substitute made from Japanese mulberry-based washi paper treated with persimmon tannen, and expand her Hyogo-based grassroots community mulberry cultivation project to other rural areas around Japan.

  • About the Craft

    The craft is a leather substitute created by treating handmade, paper-mulberry bark-based Japanese washi paper and with persimmon tannin from green-harvested persimmons.  The paper is created by scooping up mulberry bark fibers sulution. After the fruit is crushed, the resulting liquid is fermented between several months to several years fermenting it for several months to years, and pressing it to extract the tannin-rich liquid. This liquid is known as kakishibu, which provides antibacterial, water-resistant, and strengthening properties.  Konnyaku starch powdes defive fom a rook ida is often to increase durability and resistance to water damage.


CONTACT ・ Chikako IWANAGA

Website (English): Kamiya

Instagram: @kamiyahyogo

E-mail: info@kami-ya.net

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