HITOMONOKOTO, a web store and gallery based in Tokyo, had taken a creative approach to upcycling by turning sakabukuro or sake bags into tote bags. They named them ‘SHIB.’

Sakabukuro is probably a foreign vocabulary even to many Japanese. It is both rare and vintage. Here’s the description from the HITOMONOKOTO website:

Brewers used the sack “Saka-bukuro” during the Edo- period to filter “Nigori-sake”(unrefined sake) into “Seishu”(refined sake). This process was used up until the early 20th century. Every summer, craftsmen repeatedly applied persimmon juice on sakabukuro to improve waterproofing and antiseptic properties. Due to this process, the cotton fabric’s appearance has changed, similar to tinged brown leather.

“SHIB” are made from hard-to-find,dark sakabukuro cloth that is elastic,like leather,and has a black shiny appearance. No two “SHIB” are the same color. Blurring and scratching reflect the unique texture of sakabukuro cloth to which persimmon juice was applied repeatedly over the years.