Towels make up a large portion of regular laundry. If you repeatedly use and wash them, some soon become stiffer than others.
The towels in the Zutto series are of a high quality and maintain their condition to a surprising degree -- the name means "for a long time" in Japanese. While a soft and fluffy texture is the norm in towels today, those in the Zutto series are loose but not too soft. However, you find the texture becomes more comfortable the more you use them.
The Zutto series is produced by Fujitaka Co., a towel maker with a 100-year history in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture. The secret behind the sturdiness and durability of Zutto towels is that they use double threads, with two strands twisted together.
When makers seek to make towels that feel soft from the get go, their products tend to deteriorate faster as more of the fluffiness is lost. On the other hand, Fujitaka makes Zutto towels that are both soft and strong by making careful adjustments to how the threads are twisted. This series represents an array of techniques established by the long-running manufacturer.
"Our employees thought about what kind of towels they really like," said Sayoko Fujitaka, manager of the Fujitaka Towel Ginza shop in Tokyo. "We've thus developed products that are tough enough to use for more than 10 years, but which at the same time retain an excellent ability to remove moisture."
In addition to regular sizes, the series offers a nice addition in the form of a small bath towel, which suits children but is still big enough for adults. The shop also offers stylish gift boxes. Its gift wrapping may be simple, but it makes a typical gift look a little bit sophisticated.
I enjoy choosing towels to give as small year-end gifts from the series' array of chic color choices.
-- Kawashima is the director of the ifs Future Laboratory.
Zutto's face towel, measuring 34 by 80 centimeters is priced at 2,640 yen and the mini bath towel, at 50 by 100 centimeters, sells for 4,400 yen. They are each available in six colors.
Visit Fujitaka Towel website https://fujitakatowel.jp/ for more information.
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