＜Yusai＞ Folding Purse

<Koyama> Yuusai Purse. Approx. 9.5cm high x 13.5cm wide x 3cm thick. Body: cowhide, interior: synthetic leather. Made in Japan. *Opening: clasp type, interior: 5 compartments. Koyama was founded in 1962 and uses the techniques of Kyo-Yuzen dyeing in Kyoto to dye leather with beautiful colors and patterns. In its factory on the mountains of Kyoto, there are many vertically long and narrow dyeing tables with high-temperature heated tops.
This city originally prospered through Kyo Yuzen dyeing. Dyeing techniques have been handed down since ancient times. By using white guards for the stitches, adjacent colors do not mix, creating a variety of dyed patterns. The dye does not soak into the areas where the white guards are placed, and the glue is washed away in the final process of washing, revealing stunningly beautiful white lines. This is the distinctive feature of Yuzen dyeing. It is said that this technique, which is still used in leather dyeing today, was developed by applying and further pursuing the dyeing techniques that had been cultivated in Kyo Yuzen up until that point. Leather products that have been dyed by hand have good color retention, and the natural texture of the leather, where the leather itself is dyed, has a charm that cannot be compared to leather that has been dyed using other methods.
There are roughly three steps in dyeing leather. Dyeing involves placing a "white guard" on a mold and then changing the mold for each color. Steaming is done in a steamer to fix the color. Washing is done using a large wooden washing machine-like tool called a "taiko" to remove glue and excess dye, revealing the white threads. In all of these steps, the craftsman's senses are essential. A beautiful long wallet with a floral pattern dyed carefully by a skilled craftsman
The reason why the factory needs a high-temperature countertop is to shorten the drying time for the next color in the "dyeing" process and to prevent the color and pattern from bleeding. A mold is placed on the material, and one part is dyed at a time, and then the mold is moved. The amount of dye and the amount of pressure are difficult, and it is a game of intuition. On the other hand, in the "steaming" process, if the temperature is raised, the color will be absorbed well, but if the temperature is too high, the leather will burn, so it must be judged. Depending on the type of leather, the heat of tens of degrees and for how many minutes is fine-tuned. Leather is a natural material. The color of the leather changes greatly depending on the material, depending on the characteristics of the leather. "This is a matter of intuition. I look at the individuality of the leather. Leather is not uniform in thickness and surface like bolts of cloth, so I have to use various methods." Of course, it is not only the craftsmen who use ingenuity, but also the designers who design the colors and patterns.
This time, we have adopted an original small floral pattern that was created with great care to make the seams less noticeable. This item was created through collaboration between a designer and a craftsman who works closely with the material.