Upcycle Stitches LLC is an official distributors of Coron Sashiko Thread in the United States. Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya has a good partnership with Coron manufacture and Keiko obtain the permission to distribute their thread in the United States for us. As of Spring 2021, we are not looking for the wholesale option with distributors due to the limited amount of production. However, some bulk discount may be available when you would like to purchase more than 20 skeins. Please contact Atsushi for the details.
We have in stock these colors.
15 Solid Colors
5 Variegated Colors
2 Original Colors (Dyed Synthetic but looks natural)
*[Update in 2022] We are notified that there are similar Sashiko thread with similar name (Coron) available in the market. I have not confirmed if they are the identical thread to the one we use. In order to fully enjoy the purpose of Sashiko Thread, please purchase them from one of our web platforms. Thank you.
Because of our business size, we do not have a large inventory. Therefore, from time to time, the threads get sold out. Especially these colors of #10 and #15 are very popular, and they may be sold out. In a case of unavailability due to inventory, please contact us for open-order. We will make sure that you would get as soon as possible without extra fees. Waiting time will not exceed 2 weeks after receiving the open order.
Coron Sashiko Thread is one of the best Sashiko thread.
We have been so many years of relationship with Coron Thread Manufacture Company. We sincerely believe their thread is one of the best thread available in the market. They are made in Japan and made from Egyptian Cotton 100%. They aren’t the cheapest option, but the price is reasonable considering the length of thread (145-meters) and the quality. In fact, it is the best option to get the better Sashiko result. I always use Coron Sashiko Thread and merely use the other brand thread.
I hope you find these thread appropriate (the best) to your Sashiko project.
Keiko Futatsuya is a founder of Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya and a Sashiko artist herself. What makes her so special is her Sashiko designing sense. She always surprises me with her new Sashiko design. I believe she is a type of genius in Sashiko designing.
30+ years of Sashiko experience
Keiko studied a dressmaking in vocational school after she had graduated high-school. When she was in early 20’s, she married to Yuichi Futatsuya, who was the second generation of Sashiko business. First, she wasn’t allowed to make Sashiko art pieces for sale since she was an outsider and didn’t share the traditions. However, regardless of strict restriction, she learned how to stitch from other Sashiko artisans and enjoyed the beauty of Sashiko. Even when her products didn’t line up on the store shelve, she kept making Sashiko art. It is simply because she liked Sashiko.
After so many years of Sashiko experience, Yuichi and I decided to shift the Sashiko business from “making many small products as craft” to “making one-of-a-kind art.” In the process of making one of a kind art, Keiko’s sense of Sashiko designing finally got a spotlight.
It isn’t easy to anticipate the result in Sashiko
In terms of Sashiko stitching, she doesn’t have the best skill. Although her Sashiko technique is sufficient to call her artist, her significance is to anticipate the result in Sashiko and Vintage Fabric combination. For example, a woman in her 70’s, who is also a part of Keiko’s Sashi.Co team, has the supreme Sashiko technique. Her hands move like a machine and Keiko strongly depends on her skill. However, the supreme Sashiko technique doesn’t connect to the ability to make a beautiful Jacket.
*Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya is a group of Sashiko artisans. Not all the Sashiko stitchings are done by Keiko, but everything is supervised by Keiko.
Keiko’s basic knowledge of dressmaking, her 30 years of observing and enjoying Sashiko, and her design sense make this completely exclusive collection possible.
It isn’t easy to anticipate the result of Sashiko product. It may look on a paper, on a computer screen, or even on a process of matching the fabric and thread. However, the result can be very different from what we imagined after stitching Sashiko on the actual fabric. It is the beauty of hand-making art.
Things Only Keiko Futatsuya can do
In addition to her Sashiko designing sense, she has a great technique to repair the BORO.
The 2 photos below is the Boro of before and after. In order to complete this challenging repair project, the artist has to have an understanding of the vintage fabric, good Sashiko techniques, and the sense of matching all the vintage fabrics. By looking at these results, I cannot change my mind that she is the genius in Sashiko stitching and Boro repairing.
Keiko Futatsuya is a supervisor of Upcycle Stitches LLC operation regarding Sashiko such as workshops, tutorials, and articles. If you have any questions about her, please contact us. She doesn’t speak English, but I am happy to translate your question and ask her on behalf of you. Please be advised that the question and answer may be shared on this website after getting the permision.
Hello. My name is Atsushi Futatsuya. In the USA, I often introduce myself “Azu” as my nickname. It is an honor to share what Sashiko is based on my life-long experience.
Meet Atsushi Futatsuya on Youtube
It is much easier to know who I am by watching me talking. Please check what I would like to share about Sashiko on the Youtube Channel.
Atsushi Futatsuya offered Sashiko Workshop mainly in East Coast of the USA, NYC and Brooklyn Aream before Covid. (Atsushi lives in Central PA – Zip 17837, 4 hours driving from NYC). In order to learn Sashiko from him, attending a in-person workshop is the best way. Alternatively, the Online Sashiko Class is available for those who wish to learn without traveling.
Sashiko Workshop Update in Covid-19
Under the pandemic of Covid-19, in order to secure everyone’s safety, all of the In-person Sashiko Workshop has been cancelled for 2020. Instead, I had spend as much effort as possible for developing the better Online Sashiko Class. After sharing the Online Sashiko Class with more than 50 students (who are now my friends), I believe I can deliver the same contents via Online. Please check our Online Sashiko Class.
Let me please introduce myself to share why I am running this website to share what Japanese Sashiko is.
I was born in Sashiko Family
Did you have a “planned future” in your childhood, that your family kept mentioning?
I was born in a surviving Sashiko Family in Gifu prefecture, Japan. In my childhood, my friends were Sashiko artisans who worked in our family business. There was a pile of fabric, scary numbers of needles and thimbles, and so many colored threads. I strongly remember many people told me that I will take over the business when I get older. It was the Japanese tradition for the first-born child to take over the family business, especially in the traditional crafting family.
And, of course, I hated my fate.
Regardless of my Sashiko techniques I naturally learned, I purely didn’t want to be in the Sashiko business in my adolescence. It wasn’t easy to get out of the rails many people prepared, so I decided to get out from the country. I decided to go to the university in the States.
Sashiko Business to Sashiko life-style
After I had graduated from the university, I started working in Tokyo. I still didn’t want to take over Sashiko business. My parents were still 50’s, and I thought I could avoid a serious conversation about who would be responsible to the family business later on.
However, in 2008, my father called me if I could help him to run the business. The business went into a bad debt, and they could use some help from financial aspects. After deep consideration, I decided to go back to the family business mentioning that I am only doing so to “help,” not “take over.”
Sashiko as Business is very difficult to operate
After I spend some weeks checking the financial sheets, I realize that the Sashiko as a business could be very difficult to operate. In Sashiko, almost everything is hand-made. The keywords for business models of ordinary manufacture industry such as productivity, cost reduction planning, just-in-time system, and a lot more didn’t apply. I tried to understand the reason of debt. After all, recalculating all the possible cost, even if they are all done by hand and unique by one, helped to figure the “right” price. After two years of looking Sashiko with numbers, the company could avoid the bankruptcy. However, I couldn’t see the future. I didn’t find the possibility of growth.
Share what we are proud of
In 2010, I changed my mindset. Instead of focusing on growth, I started planning on “soft landing” of the business. It is almost impossible to make a fortune of money. However, I thought, it may be possible to “soft-land” the business so everyone can avoid the miserable bankruptcy. At that point, my mind shifted from numbers to what Sashiko actually is. I realize the beauty of Sashiko. It is the time I start trying to repair my denim jeans.
Around this time, I started introducing Sashiko in English. Then, I had opportunities to perform workshops in the Netherlands.
Why am I doing this?
As much as I enjoyed introducing Sashiko, the beautiful culture we were proud of, I started to wonder if why I was doing this besides the fact I was born in the family. I couldn’t find the purpose of sharing Sashiko, especially after I realize that Sashiko as a business may discontinue after elderly artisans stopped working for us. I coulnd’t reason myself to continue Sashiko business with sacrifice my days in 20’s.
Then, the Tohoku Earthquake occurred in 2011.
By supporting Tohoku throughout Sashiko, I realize the meaning of continuing Sashiko culture, to pass down the culture to the next generation.
After my father had passed away
In 2013, on October, my father had passed away unexpectedly.
Although my mind wasn’t ready to take over the business without my father, I had a determination that I was the one to take over his will to the company. I didn’t hate the fate I had as Sashiko Business Manager.
Long story short, life is full of dramas, my mother and I were fired by the new stakeholders who found out that the company had some cash. We knew the reason for this inhuman action. My mother and I were troublesome to deal with. We didn’t care about the short-term profit. We focused on how to continue the culture in form of a business entity. In 2013, I lost the identity as Atsushi Futatsuya as Sashiko business manager.
Upcycle & Sashiko Culture as Atsushi Futatsuya
After the unbelievable moment that our life changed, I decided to move to the United States. It was just too painful to stay in Japan. I told my mother that she could come with me, but she decided to stay in Japan. She had many friends, her precious dog, and my brother who just jumped into the society. She couldn’t just leave things behind. As much as I worried about her, we decided to start our new life without Sashiko.
Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya started in 2015
About June in 2014, my mother called me with a serious voice, saying “I would like to do Sashiko…”
She loves Sashiko. She couldn’t live without it. She could enjoy just stitching, but she also wanted to make big pieces and entertain people who love Sashiko. She asked me if I could help her to make her Sashiko as a business again. Although I was expecting to be a stay at home dad in the coming year, I agreed to help her to be Sashiko business owner. Then, she started the project called, Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya ~ Designing a life with Sashiko ~ with many helps around her.
What can I do as Atsushi Futatsuya?
Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya is getting bigger, and my mother enjoys her projects more and more. She provides beautiful Sashiko fabric to a fashion brand, she repairs the most beautiful vintage fabrics for a fashion designer as “To-Be-Boro”, and she makes great Sashiko pieces with her friends. Her income itself isn’t enough to support her days yet, but her enjoyment is what I value the most.
In 2017, I established a company called Upcycle Stitches LLC. This website is the company’s website.
I host Sashiko workshops. I provide Sashiko supplies and materials with sharing Sashiko techniques and skills. Based on my experience, it is my time to think what I can do as Atsushi Futatsuya, not as the 3rd generation of Sashiko business family.
It is our new journey to embrace Sashiko. My mission is to share what Sashiko is, to the world. Again, Hello world. This is Atsushi Futatsuya. I am a Sashiko Artisan and Curator of Sashiko Story.
Support Atsushi & Keiko’s Activity
In 2019, I learned that there is a platform to support the artisans/story-teller. It is called “Patreon”. We made a platform mainly to support Keiko, and I share many Sashiko stories on there (As of November 2020, I have about 100 stories to read). Those stories are not about “How-to do Sashiko”, but more like “What is Sashiko in the Japanese culture”. I have many more stories to share to the world. Your suppport is very much appreciate for us to continue our activity.
We have been practicing Sashiko stitching for more than 30 years. The founder of Sashi.Co, Keiko Futatsuya, has 33 years of Sashiko experience and some of her friends (Sashi.Co member) have even more years of experience. I have about 8 years of experience. Well, I was born in Sashiko family, so I started holding a needle when I was a child to “practice” Sashiko. In these years, we accomplished many Sashiko projects and created many Sashiko Stitched Fabric.
A size of big enough to keep Sashiko stitched fabric
Let’s say, in order to make a jacket, we first trim the fabric and stitch Sashiko. Then, we cut the fabric based on the dress pattern (jacket pattern) to tailor them. In the process of tailoring, we have some leftovers. Leftovers are as valuable as the fabric we used for the project, so we do not throw them away. We keep it for the next project. The Japanese in past used to say, “if we have a size of fabric, large enough to wrap three soybeans, we would keep it.” In current society, the small fabric (or fragment) may not be as useful as before. Well, however, we kind of keep them anyway. We are proud of following the tradition and respecting the concept of ancestors although we may be just a type of hoarders.
We kept a pile of good Sashiko stitched fabric. Most of them are the type of vintage fabrics.
When we started to share the Sashiko technique, culture and mindset, we decided to provide this valuable fabric to someone who can share and appreciate the same concepts. Finally, I got enough time to introduce one by one, arranging a small pile of Sashiko stitched fabric.
Here is a list of articles about Sashiko stitched fabric available online.
Since most of the items is one of a kind product, we listed them on Etsy store. You can view them on our Etsy store, too.
I love these Sashiko stitched fabrics since they are the best material for mending project. The vintage fabric with strengthing by Sashiko is always a good idea to repair my garment beautifully. I hope you would be able to find your favorite fabric for your favorite fashion item.
Also, our customer shared a nice idea of its usage.
After trimming the edge of the fabric, then put it in a frame. It would be a nice wall decoration. It could be a part of quilting or/and patchworking project.
If you have done any Sashiko project by using our Sashiko Stitched fabric, please share your idea with us. I would love to introduce it on this website. People would love your work and ideas!
By arranging the Sashiko Swatches inventory, I come to learn how Sashiko is/was. The combination of Japanese vintage fabric and Sashiko stitching always looks beautiful. As a mission statement of Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya, we keep saying to bring “old/unused” fabric to the main stage of fashion and arts. We realize we have a lot of dead stock in our inventory by keeping all the beautiful works in a pile. Here is Sashiko Swatches Second.
It is my responsibility to display and introduce these beautiful Sashiko Swatches one by one. This will be a series of episodes.
A series of introducing Sashiko swatches is consist of many articles on this blog. The previous article is here.
This is a very interesting piece of Sashiko fabric. We aren’t sure who designed this and who made Sashiko stitching.I suppose this fabric may be left-over from a Sashiko-workmen-socks project. The sashiko stitching is done by hands.
These two Sashiko Swatches with Shima Stripe vintage fabric are the great materials for the Sashiko mending projects. The vintage fabrics weren’t strong enough to have so much Sashiko stitching on, so we layered cotton poplin fabric to strengthen it. Sashiko is a form of stitching originated in repairing, reinforcing, and mending the torn fabric. The rich Sashiko stitching and beautiful colors (which is truly one-of-a-kind since the color is made by decades of time), will make your repair fashion product so unique and exclusive.
Sashiko Swatches Continue its journey.
The responsibility of Upcycle Stitches doesn’t end when we sell the fabric to the Sashiko & Upcycle lovers. We will upload and share the videos and articles how you would enjoy your Sashiko project. Thank you for your interest and continuous support.
I established Upcycle Stitches LLC in February 2017. I am happy that I am building enough sales to expand our inventory. Unlike the early period of this year, we will try out best to keep our products in stocks all the time. Also, I will start some Sashiko Thread Sale Deal & Promotion as a sign of gratitude for finding us from millions of websites.
The Three colors are available with $1.00 OFF(7% OFF) until the end of June. The deal will end when the stock runs out. As of now, the sales deal is only available on our Amazon web store since I haven’t figure out how to apply these deals on our web store or Etsy store without changing the listing price. Check our Sashiko thread product page here.
I love the early summer season. Sunflowers remind me of my father for some reasons, and then I came up with this sale deal idea. I hope you would enjoy Sashiko with beautiful yellow colors.
Future Sashiko Thread Sale Deal
White and Indigo Blue Sashiko threads are very popular in our store. Besides these colors, I am thinking of Sashiko Thread Sale Deal in future. The color is a key of art, and of course, the color makes a lot of difference in Sashiko projects. I hope you would have a chance to stock all the color of threads to expand the possibility of your Sashiko project. I hope the deal would help it even a little bit.
Among various reasons for Sashiko’s popularity, I believe that the beauty of geometric Sashiko pattern is a significant reason why people felt in love with it. Including the traditional Sashiko Pattern, we have uncountable numbers of patterns to enjoy. In fact, the pattern can be anything you would like to try.
Here is a brief directory of Sashiko Pattern we often use.
1. Traditional Geometric Pattern
Needless to say. Many traditional patterns became like a representation of Sashiko. Some people refer Asano-ha patterns as Sashiko even without stitching. Among many geometric patterns, these four patterns would be the most well-known patterns.
Asano-ha (麻の葉）/ Hemp Leave
Higaki (檜垣）/ Japanese wooden fence
Seikai-ha （青海波）/ Ocean Wave
Shippou (七宝）/ Seven Treasure (Lights) (of Budda)
Not only they are beautiful, but the patterns are well thought to practice Sashiko stitching. I always recommend starting Sashiko practice with one of these traditional geometric patterns.
The Japanese kept satisfying their artistic desire by modifying the traditional pattern without damaging the beauty in geometry. We can find many advanced and complicated yet simple and geometric patterns used on Sashiko and other Japanese art forms. Usually, these modified geometric patterns have the base. For example, the pattern in the photo is based on Asano-ha pattern and adding a sense of arrows.
These patterns may require more advanced skill to get a good Sashiko result. However, the basic of stitching is the same. We do not change how we use our basic tools like a thimble and needles, we just think how we can stitch efficiently.
*A set of these patterns is available in our online store / Etsy store for PDF download.
3. Grid Pattern
We often use a grid (pattern) on the fabric to make Sashiko stitching. In order to make Hitomezashi stitching, the grid must be on the fabric. For the patterns with using a grid, the number of the possible results is infinite. We enjoy the process of making these Hitomezashi stitching. The most famous Hitomezashi would be “Kakino-ha (柿の葉）” pattern.
4. Kamon Family Pattern
Kamons are emblems used to decorate and identify an individual or family. Its symmetrical pattern in a circle amazes me a lot. It is my goal to use more Kamon patterns on my projects. They are just stunning.
5. Create your own Sashiko Pattern
Sashiko pattern can be anything you would like to work on. It can be just a series of simple lines or your own drawing. No limitation and no regulation. Enjoy Sashiko!
Upcycle Stitches / Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya are a group of Sashiko artisans and craftspersons. Usually, we have a plan in our mind when we start a Sashiko project. The purpose of Sashiko stitching can be making a Sashiko Jacket from Japanese vintage fabric. Or, it could be preparing a piece of fabric with Sashiko for the Jeans mending project. Meanwhile, we just enjoy the Sashiko stitching itself without having a purpose. From time to time, we pile these Sashiko Swatches which we enjoyed and the piece of fabric which we didn’t use in the big project. We decided to sort our inventory (pile) and sell them as the “one-of-the-kind” Sashiko Swatches.
We enjoyed. Please use them for your Sashiko project.
Every Sashiko swatches are, of course, hand-stitched by a member in either Upcycle Stitches or Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya. Most of the fabric is Japanese vintage fabric, and Indigo dyed. Otherwise, I will specify the materials and dye methods. Please be advised that sometime we forget how we obtained the fabric. When you see the comment of “no proof,” it means “our best guess.”
It would be very wonderful materials/supply for your Sashiko project, especially for mending or repairing project.
As of now, the Sashiko swatches are available on our Etsy website. They are one of the kind products. Once it is sold, we won’t be able to make the same swatches.
I hope you can use these beautiful Sashiko swatches for your long-appreciating Sashiko project. These are strong fabrics because of Sashiko. These are beautiful fabrics because of time (vintage). By using this fabric, you step forward to make BOROs in future.
Thanks to customers finding our Amazon Store, I am enabled to build a much bigger inventory for Sashiko thread. Since we have some allowance for the inventory, I will provide some Sashiko Thread Bulk Discount. A purchase of our Sashiko threads excluding (Now including) the Natural-dyed thread throughout this website will be eligible for the discount based on the amount of your order. Please contact me first if bulk discount matches your interest, or simply use the coupon code available below in the rate table.
Without the effective code, the discount will not be applied.
Sashiko Thread Bulk Discount Rate
Here is a price table for the bulk discount. If you have question, please make sure to contact me first by mentioning “bulk discount,” and shop throughout the online store by using the discount coupon I issue to you, or available here.
Order of 10 Sashiko Thread Skeins
5% Discount*
Code: MANYTHANKS_5
Order of 20 Sashiko Thread Skeins
10% Discount*
Code: MANYTHANKS_10
Order of 50 Sashiko Thread Skeins
15% Discount*
Code: MANYTHANKS_15
Order of 100 and more Sashiko Thread Skeins
20% Discount*
Code: MANYTHANKS_20
*Depends on the stock, we may make the shipment from Japan. In that case, we cover all the possible shipping fees, custom, and duty.
*No other seasonal coupon may be used with this bulk discount.
*The coupon will deduct the percentage amount from the total price of your order of the Sashiko Thread on our online store.
A regular skein of our Sashiko thread has the length of 145 meters / 475 feet.
This is long enough to complete a few small Sashiko project. However, if you would like to try Hitomezashi stitching or a larger project such as Sashiko jackets, a few skeins would be great to keep in stock. Although I may promote our products with some seasonal discount on this website, such as Black Friday Deal, I promise that the discount code will not be more than 20%.
Sashiko Thread Wholesale
Upcycle Stitches LLC has not obtained the license for the wholesale business in the U.S. Therefore we do not offer an option to make a wholesale deal besides Sashiko Thread Bulk Discount. However, although we do not offer the wholesale price for now, please contact me if you would like to sell our products in your store and meet the requirement below. I may be able to help you as a curator to make a deal with Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya and other manufacturers in Japan.
Some of the possible agreements are following;
Agreement to purchase more than $2,000 of thread and/or products for the initial order. The wholesale rate varies depending on the amount of your purchase history.
Own a retail store with a physical store front.
I would love to visit your store to discuss not only the financial deal but the support we can provide regarding Sashiko. Please read the article about my plan, the Sashiko Road Trip.
This offer only applies to personnel/company who has the address in the US. If you live outside of US, and interested in being a distributor, please contact Sashi.Co & Keiko Futatsuya for more information. We are happy to discuss the detail. For wholesale option in Australia, please contact our representative in Australia.
Keiko Futatsuya, my mother / a Sashiko Artisan in Japan, visited an unbelievable place regarding a hidden Sashiko/Boro culture – Tokiyama Sashiko (時山さしこ）. In a very small village called Tokiyama, where there are no grocery stores around, the people discovered their own Sashiko culture in 1990’s from the ground. The seniors tried to hide their Boro by burying them. A few generations later, the people there found out the culture, and dig out the Boro from Ground.
The people in Tokiyama tried to pass the culture down to the next generation by exhibiting Sashiko/Boro pieces and sharing Sashiko workshops in their small exhibit room.
The people (Sashiko practitioners in Tokiyama) knew about Keiko from her previous work as the designer in Hida Sashiko. They warmly welcomed her and share their story with her and her friends.
Yes. I mention it right. Discovered Boro from Ground
We, who live in the 21st century, value BOROs as a beautiful art piece. Patches and repeated stitching make unique “Visual Art” like abstract drawing or mosiac art. In the past, a few hundred years ago, the Japanese had completely different feeling toward Boro in comparison to the value we have today. The feeling was opposite side of the beautiful & luxery item. It was the shame. Regardless of its beauty, the BOROs were the symbol of Shame for them who lived in Japan for that time.
In Tokiyama village, Sashiko repaired Jacket probably represented how bad “poverty” there were. People considered the more a family possesses Boros (or Jacket/pants with mending), they considered the poor the families were. They felt ashamed of wearing Boros and repaired Sashiko jacket, which they didn’t have any choice not to do. When they had a pile of Boros and mended clothes which they couldn’t repair much any longer, they bury Boros in the ground to hide the shame they held.
In 1990’s, people learned that there was a Sashiko culture in Tokiyama hundreds of years ago from that time. They dug the BOROs and Sashiko jacket from the ground. Indeed. They found Boro from Ground. Some of them transformed its touch, the cotton became like a felt after getting the pressures under the ground.
Unbelievable Testimony of Sashiko by Tokiyama Sashiko
Sashiko formed its culture in many places in Japan. Many places where are rural places with a lot of snow and severe winter had the similar culture (probably named similarly to Sashiko). In these places, they developed their own Sashiko culture where Sashiko was a work for women to repair men’s jacket. Regardless of the numbers of culture’s footprints, it has been very challenging to make a research about Sashiko. We know that they existed. However, as the people in Tokiyama buried their pieces, many Japanese tried to “hide” the fact so that they thought they wouldn’t pass down the poverty to their precious children.
Tokiyama Sashiko gave us a hint of understanding the difficulty of discovering the Sashiko history. People felt ashamed of having the Boro and heavily pactched Sashiko Jackets. This great opportunity with Tokiyama Sashiko opened up the possibility to learn more about Sashiko.
We will visit them again, ask questions, and try to pass “Sashiko” down to the next generation together, without burying them in the ground.
