【サイズ】　33cm×36cm
【重量】　　41g

【悠閑タオル】
柿渋染めで日本の彩りを演出、穏やかな色目になりました。でも最新ナノテクで抗菌活性値５。素材はカリフォルニア産サンホーキンコットン使用。ふくらみパイルが最良の普通、毎日快適に使えるタオルになりました。
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悠閑はのんびり、のどかと読まれますが、悠々閑々という四字熟語ではゆうゆうかんかんと読みます。「ゆったりして気長に構え、のんびりしている」という意味。のんびりタオル、のどかタオル、ゆうかんタオルのどれかしっくりくる読みで呼称ください。
ちなみに開発者の私、大窪は「ゆうかんタオル」といってます。

washcloth
Size　33cm x 36cm
Weight 41g

Yuukan Towel
This towel is dyed with persimmon tannin to produce Japanese coloring and a gentle color tone. At the same time, the latest nanotechnology has been used to achieve an antibacterial activity value of 5.
The material used in San Joaquin cotton from California. The puffy pile is the best normal and comfortable towel for daily use.
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Yuukan means "leisurely" or "leisurely" in Japanese. It means "to take it easy, be patient, and relax."

Soothing traditional Japanese colors

Fukagawa-nezumi (pale green) / Edo purple (light purple)

Aonibi (blue-gray)/Kariyasuiro (blue-yellow)

Akaneiro (yellowish red) / Azuki iro(maroon)

Japanese colors with reactive dyes + persimmon tannin dyeing

今回作った悠閑タオルでは落ちついた日本の彩りを表現するために、２段階の染色を行っています。

まず、反応染料（綿の染色で使用される一般的な染料）で柿渋の茶系の色目をのぞいた染料配分（レサイプ）で日本の彩りのベースとなる６色に染め分けます。

そして、全色に柿渋染め。柿渋染めの茶系の色目が付加されて、それぞれの色目が少しくすんで落ち着いた色目となりました。

The Yuukan Towel we produced this time is dyed in two stages to express the subdued Japanese colors.
First, reactive dyes (common dyes used for dyeing cotton) are used to dye the six colors that form the base of the Japanese colors, using a dye distribution (recipe) that excludes the brown tones of the persimmon tannin.
Then, all the colors are dyed with kakishibu. The brownish tones of the kakishibu dye are added to give each color a slightly dull and subdued appearance.

Antimicrobial action of persimmon tannin

古くから柿渋には抗菌作用があることが知られています。今回柿渋染めをベースにしたのは、その古（いにしえ）の日本の知恵を活かしたいと考えたからです。

柿渋に含まれるポリフェノールの一種柿タンニンは緑茶や赤ワインの10倍以上の濃度があるといわれて、優れた消臭抗菌作用があります。

この消臭抗菌作用によって菌も繁殖しないので、部屋干ししても、タオルハンガーにかけて翌日使っても嫌な臭いがせず、快適なタオルになりました。

Since ancient times, persimmon tannin has been known to have antibacterial properties. We chose persimmon tannin dyeing as the basis for this project because we wanted to take advantage of this ancient Japanese wisdom.
Persimmon tannin, a type of polyphenol contained in persimmon tannin, is said to have a concentration 10 times higher than that of green tea or red wine and has excellent deodorizing and antibacterial properties.
This deodorant and antibacterial action prevent bacteria from breeding, so the towels are comfortable and do not have an unpleasant odor even if they are dried indoors or hung on a towel hanger the next day.

Further antimicrobial activity is achieved with the latest nanotechnology.

柿渋による抗菌効果は、殺菌率でいうと99%。ラボで使用される指標で言うと抗菌活性値２。これでも十分高い抗菌性を有していると言えるのですが、さらに、より高い抗菌性実現のため最新のナノテクノロジーを使用した抗菌剤を付与しています。

この結果、悠閑タオルの抗菌活性値は平均５以上に跳ね上がり、殺菌率99.999％を実現しました。洗濯10日後でも殺菌率99.99%以上です。

ゆったりおうち時間を満喫させてくれる悠閑タオルは特級の抗菌、消臭性を併せ持っているのです。

The antimicrobial effect of persimmon tannin is 99% in terms of sterilization rate, or an antimicrobial activity value of 2 in terms of the index used in laboratories. In terms of the index used in laboratories, the antimicrobial activity value is 2, which is still high enough, but to achieve an even higher antimicrobial activity, an antimicrobial agent using the latest nanotechnology is added.
As a result, the antibacterial activity value of Yuukan Towel jumps to more than 5 on average, realizing a sterilization rate of 99.999%. Even after 10 days of washing, the sterilization rate is still over 99.99%.
Yuukan Towel, which allows you to enjoy a relaxing time at home, has both special antibacterial and deodorizing properties.

Test results of antimicrobial performance
Left: Untreated / Right: With antimicrobial agent
After incubation, bacteria were detected on the untreated fabric, but not on the fabric treated with the antimicrobial agent.

The latest nanotechnology achieves an antibacterial activity value of 5 or higher. 99.99% sterilization rate even after repeated washing.

San Joaquin cotton to form a bulging pile.

だれもが使える心地よいタオルとはどんな感触かと考え続けています。

・適度な厚み
・豊かな吸水性
・ふっくらと弾力性のバランス
・洗濯を繰り返しても変わらない風合い

これらを満たす最適なコットンの一つがはサンホーキンコットンです。カリフォルニア州サンホーキンバレーで収穫された綿花を紡いだ糸が悠閑タオルのパイルになっています。

サンホーキンコットンの繊維は他のコットンと比較して、豊かな天然撚りを有しています。天然撚りすなわち繊維に元からある捩れのことです。

We continue to think about what kind of feel a comfortable towel that can be used by anyone would have.
・Moderate thickness
・Rich absorbency
・The balance between fluffiness and elasticity
・The texture remains the same even after repeated washing.
San Joaquin cotton is one of the best cotton to satisfy these requirements. Yarns spun from cotton harvested in San Joaquin Valley, California, are used to make the pile of Yuukan Towel.
Compared to other cotton, San Joaquin cotton fibers have a rich natural twist. Natural twisting refers to the twisting that is inherent in the fiber.

The rich natural twists of San Joaquin cotton fibers create a fluffy pile, and the spaces between the fibers formed by the twists improve water retention and dry quickly.

コットン繊維の天然撚りの顕微鏡写真

　この天然撚りのおかげで、糸を紡いだ時に弾力性が生まれ反発力が増し、拭き心地の良いふっくらパイルのタオルになります。またこの天然撚りによって繊維間に空間が出来るので保水性がアップし乾きも速くなります。

Micrograph of natural twisting of cotton fibers
Thanks to this natural twisting, elasticity is created when the yarn is spun, increasing resilience and producing a fluffy pile towel that is comfortable to wipe with. This natural twisting also creates space between the fibers, which improves water retention and speeds up drying time.

Divine finish overcoming the shortcomings of persimmon tannin

Yuukan Towel: The New Normal Standard
A divine finish overcoming the shortcomings of persimmon tannin. Water absorbency is certified by Imabari Towel.

抗菌性が高い柿渋ですが、本来持っている疎水性能（水をはじく性質）から防水の塗料として使用されるほど。

したがって、タオルにこの柿渋染めが使用された例はほとんどありません。確か数件あったと記憶しているくらいです。でもこの悠閑タオルは吸水性抜群なのです。以下に説明いたします。

織上がったタオルは染色前に、通常苛性ソーダ（水酸化ナトリウム）で高温短時間で行う精錬（コットンの油脂を取り除いて染色性と吸水力を上げる工程）を、悠閑タオルでは繊維を傷めずパイル形状を維持してくれる天然酵素で時間をかけてじっくり行います。

この工程により染料が適量繊維に分散、均等に吸着されます。最後に柿渋染めで色目をマイルドにするのですが、柿渋が偏ることなく薄く繊維に浸透するので吸水性を阻害しないのです。

この後、最終工程でも繊維を痛めない天然石鹸で洗浄します。

この一連の工程で柿渋の色合いと抗菌性を活かしつつ、吸水性と洗濯を繰り返しても風合い変化が小さい理想のタオルが出来上がりました。

Although persimmon tannin is highly antibacterial, its inherent hydrophobic properties (water-repelling properties) make it used as a waterproof paint.
Therefore, there have been very few cases where this kakishibu dyeing was used for towels. As I recall, there have been only a few cases. However, this Yuukan Towel has excellent water absorbency. The following is an explanation.
Before dying, the woven towels are scoured with caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) at a high temperature for a short time (a process that removes oil and grease from cotton to improve dyeability and absorbency), but Yuukan Towel uses natural enzymes that do not damage the fibers and maintain the pile shape.

This process allows the appropriate amount of dye to be dispersed and evenly absorbed by the fibers. Finally, persimmon tannin dyeing is used to soften the colors, but the persimmon tannin is not biased and penetrates the fibers thinly, so it does not interfere with water absorbency.
After this, the fabric is washed with natural soap, which does not damage the fibers in the final process.
This series of processes results in an ideal towel that has high water absorbency and little change in texture even after repeated washing while taking advantage of the color and antibacterial properties of the persimmon tannin.

Pile shape change between natural enzyme finish and chemical finish
Upper row: Comparison of pile change before and after 30 washes of natural enzyme finish.
Bottom row Comparison of pile change before washing and after 30 was

高い抗菌性を持つタオルがこれからのスタンダードになると、私は考えました。また普段使いにこそ贅沢を味わいたい方にと、素材や風合い吸水性に洗濯耐久性など考え得る最上の選択をして悠閑タオルは完成しました。以下に特長をまとめました。

I thought that towels with high antibacterial properties would become the standard from now on. Yuukan Towel was completed by selecting the best possible materials, textures, absorbency, washability, and durability for those who want to enjoy luxury in their daily use. The features are summarized below.

Yuukan Towel: The New Normal Japanese Towel
・Uses persimmon tannin, an antimicrobial agent from ancient Japan
・Antimicrobial activity value of 5 is achieved by the latest nanotechnology
・Kakishibu + reactive dyes produce Japanese colors.
・San Joaquin cotton is used for a pile with firmness and fullness.
・ Natural enzymes and soap are used to overcome the disadvantages of persimmon tannin. High absorbency certified by Imabari Towel.
・The texture does not change much even after repeated washing.
・Slightly thin and comfortable to use.