How to Take Care of Obi
The important thing to keep your obi in good shape all the time is to take proper careo immediately after wearing it. After a few days, it becomes difficult to remove the dirt.
When you come back home, wash your hands first and handle the obi with clean hands.
Stretch the obi long and put it on a hanger. Let it dry sufficiently before checking it for dirt. Sweat and moisture may cause discoloration or mold growth, and if mold grows, stains may not come off even after stain removal. If you find any stains or stains, contact the shop where you bought the obi or a stain remove professional (in our case, a trustworthy high end dry cleaner I suppose) as soon as possible. Also, at that time, be sure to clearly tell the location of the stain, the type of stain (what kind of stain), and when it got dirty. The knot wrinkles are smoothed out by applying a pressing cloth and ironing at a low temperature. Please note that using a high heat iron or steam iron will damage the gold and silver thread foil on the obi.
Avoid Moisture
Obi doesn't like moisture. The reason why paulownia drawers have long been considered good is because paulownia has the ability to maintain a moderate amount of moisture. The best way to store the obi is to store it in a paulownia wood drawer, in a well-ventilated place with little humidity and no direct sunlight. By the way, the upper shelf of the drawer has less moisture, upper / higher it is, less moisture there is. It is a good idea to store the most important obi on the upper shelf.
Give Love Even When You Put It Away
Do not store the obi in a plastic bag. Not only will moisture accumulate, but chemical changes in the vinyl can cause problems. Be sure to wrap it in tatou paper or a white cotton cloth without starch. Also, put thin washi paper on the parts where gold and silver threads and foil are used. (contact us at yokobeverlyhills@gmail.com for Tatou Paper)
Put It Separately
If you put obi, kimono, accessories, etc all together in one drawer, it will not only make things unorganized, but also cause wrinkles and other troubles. In particular, items that use gold and silver threads and foil may discolor if they come in contact with sulfur-containing items such as rubber products and rubber bands. Separate each item into a different drawer and store it in the correct way.
Be Careful with Insect Repellents and Perfumes
If you put naphthalene and camphor together, a chemical reaction will occur and the insect repellent effect will be lost, which may cause stains. In addition, direct contact with insect repellents, sachets, etc. will cause a problem. Never wear perfume.
Hang Dry Obi Outside in a Shade and Check the Obi Regularly
Obi hates moisture, so even if you don't wear it, you need to dry it regularly. Since ancient times, it has been known to dry in the summer and in the cold in winter. Don't forget to check insect repellent and desiccant.
—- Information provided by Nishijin Textile Industry Association
