Futuristic Japanese Fashion: Clothing Made from Eggshells, Flowers and Paper

This article appeared in Made in Japan Vol. 4. To read the entire issue, click here .

Japan is world-famous for experimental fashion. From Miyake’s pleats to Kawakubo’s lumps and bumps, the Japanese avant-garde silhouette shot to fame during the 1990s as a signature of a bold and innovative approach to clothing. Fast-forward to the present, and designers are spearheading a new wave of experimentation, this time with a focus on materials.

The global fashion industry is notorious for its environmental impact: It currently stands as the world’s third-largest polluter. In light of this, Japan’s fashion innovators are increasingly turning to experimental, natural materials for future-friendly style solutions. Here are four picks that showcase the weird and wonderful, in a mix of tradition and technology.

Cloth made from Curetex’s washi-based material Curetex: Cloth Made From Paper While paper may not seem an obvious choice for clothing, it could be something we’ll see more of in the future. Several new paper-based materials have been developed in Japan recently, and one example is Curetex, a fine yarn made from 100% Japanese washi, from the manufacturing company Cure Group Ltd. As washi is easily woven into a textile, the current range of paper-textile items includes socks, neckties, handkerchiefs and bags.

Surprisingly, washi boasts numerous benefits when applied to wearables: It’s breathable, moisture-wicking, deodorizing and UV protective. Washi paper has a rich h.