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🪙 What is Hirahaku thread?
Hirahaku thread is a type of decorative thread used in weaving and embroidery, made by sticking metal foil such as gold, silver, or aluminum foil onto washi paper or film and cutting it into thin strips.
It is called "hirahaku" (flat foil) because it is cut into long, thin tapes (flat).
📜 Origin and history of flat foil thread (Hirahaku thread)
■ Origin: Ancient China to Nara period (8th century)
The roots of flat foil lie in the gold and silver thread techniques of ancient China and India.
It was introduced to Japan during the Nara period, and among the Shosoin treasures, gold threads that are believed to have been made by cutting thin strips of gold leaf-covered Japanese paper have been confirmed.
At that time, it was mainly used in religious and aristocratic ceremonies, such as Buddhist altar implements, ornamental implements, and costumes.
■ Heian to Muromachi period (9th to 16th centuries): Development within aristocratic culture
In the Heian period, it began to be used in costumes for aristocrats and the upper class, Noh costumes, and clothing for Shinto rituals.
At that time, gold thread was made by attaching gold leaf to Japanese paper and hand-cutting it to a width of just 0.5mm to 1mm, which was a very delicate technique.
■ Edo Period (17th-19th Centuries): Widely used for decorations such as Nishijin-ori
Weaving using gold leaf, such as Nishijin-ori in Kyoto and brocade in Kaga, flourished, and flat foil thread began to be used in earnest.
During this period, a technique called "hikibaku" also appeared. Gold leaf was applied to washi paper, cut it, and woven with silk thread, resulting in a diversified style of expression.
Highly decorative, it was widely used for samurai formal attire, Noh and Kyogen costumes, festival costumes, and more.
■ Modern and Contemporary (Meiji and Later)
During the Meiji period, technological innovations such as metal-deposited film and chemical paste improved the production efficiency of flat foil thread.
Furthermore, after the Showa period, its uses diversified, including for embroidery, obi fabric, Japanese clothing accessories, interior decoration, and crafts.
It is still used today in the fields of traditional crafts (e.g. Nishijin-ori, gold thread embroidery, hikibaku) and contemporary art and fashion, and is highly regarded both in Japan and abroad.
The manufacturing process for flat foil thread(Hirahaku thread)
is a very delicate process in which metal foil is attached to paper or film, then cut into thin strips to make threads. Below, we will explain the traditional method as well as modern manufacturing methods in an easy-to-understand manner.
🧵 Manufacturing process of flat foil thread (for traditional washi-based "hikibaku")
① Preparation of support (making washi paper)
Use thin and strong washi paper (e.g., danshi, kozo paper, etc.)
The paper may be dyed or processed in advance
② Preparation of metal foil
The foils used include real gold foil, silver foil, Western gold foil, platinum foil, aluminum foil, etc.
Use metal foil that is very thin (about 1/10,000th of a millimeter)
③ Foil application (pulling)
Apply a thin layer of adhesive such as animal glue or starch paste to the washi paper
Carefully attach the metal foil on top
This is called "hikibaku" (pulling foil)
④ Drying
Dry naturally or at low temperature to firmly fix the foil
⑤ Cutting
Cut the washi paper into very thin tape shapes about 0.5 to 1 mm wide
Do this by hand or with a dedicated cutting machine to avoid distorting the cross section
⑥ Twisting is optional if necessary.
It may be used as is as flat foil thread,
but it may also be wrapped around other threads (silk thread, polyester thread, etc.) to be processed into twisted gold thread.
"The miracle of paper and foil that ties together light."
- Washi paper and gold come together to become thread.
