What is Hanpu Fabric?

Hanpu fabric is a plain weave high quality Japanese cotton yarn that is commonly known as “canvas.” The material was originally used as sails on boats during the Muromachi Period where Oda Nobunaga used Hanpu as sails for his boats. Since then, the fabric has been the choice for sails until the late 19th century. Hanpu fabric was a great alternative compared to other expensive materials such as leather at the time since Hanpu is light, durable and affordable. After the start of the Meiji period, the fabric became a core material in manufacturing products that were used on the daily basis such as delivery bags, student bags, uniforms, canopies, banners, cloth strainers for sake, and etc. It has been said that the invention of Hanpu and its usefulness in society has fueled Japan’s rapid industrial and economic growth .