Our Association produces a unique silk that can only be made in Tomioka city, a cocoon production center that has been strengthening the cooperation between people concerned to silk industry from cocoon producers to silk products makers and sellers, for the purpose of maintaining Japan’s sericulture techniques and silk culture for the next generations.
Roots in France, the Silk Country
Sericulture in Tomioka is carried out 5 times a year: spring, summer, early fall, late fall and early winter. Spring cocoons are considered as the most high-quality ones among all. Tomioka Silk Brand Association products use plenty of these carefully selected seasonal spring cocoons raised here in Tomioka.
Spring cocoons that have just been harvested are reeled into raw silk using the utmost quality reeling machines (6A) without going through hot air drying process. This method can only be carried out here in the home of sericulture, and it gives birth to a soft texture that can only be enjoyed with “NAMABIKI”.
“GUNMAHOSO” is a very rare cocoon specie from Gunma prefecture that is produced only by 2 families among the 12 sericulture farmers in Tomioka city. Neckties and stoles woven with this utmost quality raw silk have excellent gloss and luster.
