Chabu 茶布 - Tea stage

Teaware is not for sale.

The biggest joy of a tea lover is to repurpose things and give them a second life by using them in their tea space. The chajin that appreciate wild aged tea will enjoy this chabu that links us back to the 1900s. This is a rare find of handwoven linen cloth that originates from Germany. It is an admirable burlap fabric, very firm, with somewhat irregularly hand-spun threads and very pronounced texture with thicker weft threads, handwoven more than 100 years ago. Genuinely hand made and organic with occasional spots of blades of grass, pieces of leaves and straw woven in. I use old school traditional methods to clean it and prepare it for dyeing with natural colours. The structure of plant fiber has got a layer of protection on it which gives fabric strength and durability but prevents pigments from binding to it. Dyeing fabric in a natural way takes attention, observation and exploration but the result is well worth it. Like there are no two tea leaves alike, there are not two strands of grass that are the same by looking at this chabu one can take hours to admire it. Colours and pattern are created with dian hong leaves, blue cabage and rust that has been left in touch with the fabric over time to develop fascinating imprints.

One side has more intense colours and patterns, another more watercolour like. Close up pictures are showing both sides. All fabrics have been laundered and dried as normal. They are colourfast but may gently fade with time and exposure to sunlight. Hand wash and iron with cotton settings.

These are hand crafted pieces and no two are look alike but they were created at the same time and space and very close to each other.

Size:

30 x 90 cm

11.5 x 35.4 inches