Description
A Towel Unlike Any Other
The Sasawashi Towel does not fit neatly into any existing category. It is not a standard cotton terry towel, not a linen towel, and not a bamboo towel. It is crafted from a cotton base interwoven with the company’s patented fabric: strands of ultra-absorbent washi paper infused with deodorising kumazasa bamboo. The result is a towel with properties that conventional materials simply cannot combine.
What Washi Paper Does in a Towel
Washi is a Japanese paper made from long plant fibres — it has been produced for over a thousand years and is prized for its strength, softness, and exceptional absorbency. Washi paper offers approximately twice the absorbency of standard towel materials. When twisted into yarn and woven into a textile, those properties transfer directly. The Sasawashi Towel absorbs water faster than a cotton terry towel of equivalent weight. Because the washi fibres release moisture quickly too, the towel dries rapidly between uses — which is the single most effective factor in preventing the musty odour that bathroom towels develop over time.
What Kumazasa Bamboo Does
Kumazasa is a type of bamboo grown in the highlands of Japan. Prior to hibernation, bears consume large amounts of the plant to benefit from its purifying and cleansing powers. Its antibacterial kumazasa plant fibers offer natural deodorising properties that prevent mildew growth and fibre deterioration. In a towel, this means the antibacterial function does not wash out over time — it is embedded in the fibre structure itself. The towel stays fresher between washes and resists the deterioration that shortens the lifespan of ordinary textiles.
A Towel That Gets Better With Use
The result is a uniquely textured towel that grows softer with use while quickly drying and gently exfoliating as you step out of the bath or shower. On first use the texture is slightly structured — similar to linen. With each wash, the washi fibres relax and the surface becomes progressively softer. However, the gentle exfoliating texture is never completely lost — the kumazasa fibres ensure it remains, providing a mild daily skin polish without any abrasion.
Built Around Longevity
Sasawashi was founded as a reaction to the wastefulness and ephemeral lifespan of the textile industry. Every design decision — material selection, construction, care — is made with longevity in mind. The Sasawashi Towel is not built to feel impressive for six months and deteriorate. It is built to remain functional, hygienic, and pleasant to use for years.
Free delivery to your apartment is included across Tbilisi.
Product Specifications
- Material: Cotton base interwoven with patented Sasawashi fabric (washi paper + kumazasa bamboo fibers)
- Properties: Naturally deodorising, antibacterial, quick-drying, gently exfoliating
- Texture: Structured initially, softens with use
- Care: Machine wash with mild detergent in a garment bag — do not bleach — air dry
- Made in: Japan
- Available sizes: Washcloth (S) / Hand Towel (M) / Compact Bath Towel (L)
FAQ
What exactly is washi paper and how does it work as a towel material?
Washi is a traditional Japanese paper made from long plant fibres — most commonly kozo, gampi, or mitsumata. Its long fibre structure gives it exceptional tensile strength and absorbency. Washi paper offers approximately twice the absorbency of standard towel materials — a property that transfers directly when the paper is twisted into yarn and woven into fabric. In the Sasawashi Towel, the washi yarn sits alongside cotton in the weave structure. The cotton provides softness and body; the washi provides the enhanced absorbency and rapid moisture release that conventional cotton alone cannot achieve. The combination produces a towel that feels lighter than its absorbency suggests — and dries faster than any equivalent weight of standard cotton terry.
What is kumazasa bamboo and does its antibacterial effect last after repeated washing?
Kumazasa is a type of bamboo grown in the highlands of Japan, known for its purifying and cleansing properties. Its antibacterial compounds are concentrated in the leaf fibres. In the Sasawashi fabric, these fibres are infused into the washi yarn during processing — they become part of the fibre structure rather than a surface treatment. The antibacterial kumazasa plant fibres offer natural deodorising properties that prevent mildew growth and fibre deterioration — and because the kumazasa is structural rather than applied, these properties are maintained through repeated washing. This is the fundamental difference from towels treated with antibacterial finishes, which wash out progressively and are effectively gone within months.
How does the Sasawashi Towel compare to other Japanese towels available at Sleep Gallery?
The Sasawashi occupies completely different territory from the Uchino Air Waffle or Zero Twist Gauze Dot. Those towels are optimised for softness and absorbency within a conventional cotton framework — the Air Waffle through hollow yarn engineering, the Zero Twist through extra-long staple fibre construction. The Sasawashi introduces two entirely different materials — washi paper and kumazasa bamboo — that add properties cotton cannot deliver on its own: natural antibacterial function, enhanced absorbency, and gentle skin exfoliation. The texture is also distinct — more structured, more linen-like, designed to soften over time rather than being immediately plush. Choosing between them depends entirely on what you want from a towel. Browse our full range of premium towels at Sleep Gallery, or visit Sasawashi to learn more about the brand’s philosophy directly.
