Boro is a style of patchwork, though it is less
about a craft or technique than a way to salvage
textiles using scraps. The farming classes of
Japan would mend torn clothing, futon covers
and other textiles using rough running stitches out
of economic necessity and the scarcity of cotton
cloth.
Embodying the Japanese aesthetic of
wabi-sabi – the acceptance of imperfection –
boros have many shades of color and a variety
of textures resulting from being created over the
course of many years by successive generations of
a family.
While each boro is unique, the process is the
same. As everyday textiles would run thin or tear,
a scrap of fabric would be layered over the spot
and joined with sashiko stitching – long straight
running stitches done with white cotton thread,
though a bit of red thread might be used for a
special occasion.
With the industrial production of post-war Japan
and the modernization of the mid-20th Century,
boros were largely forgotten as a reminder of an
impoverished rural past. The work of historians
to preserve the cultural legacy of the textiles
brought boros back to prominence, as did the
recognition of their artistic importance. Modern
Japanese fashion brands have popularized boros
by creating garments, accessories and home
décor items using the layered, mended patchwork
of vintage boros.
