A staple of the Japanese household since the 9th century, the humble Tenugui is a hand-dyed rectangular cloth (13 x 35") equally at home in the pocket, as it is in the kitchen or the workshop. Ours are hand-dyed in Japan using "chusen", a traditional technique in which the dye penetrates the cloth rather than sitting on its surface, leaving the pattern visible on both sides and the hand remarkably soft. Each pattern carries its own name and meaning. In the wabi-sabi spirit, the edges are left unhemmed, so expect some slight fraying, and the character that comes with it.

Benkei-jima is a bold check of intersecting vertical and horizontal stripes, named for Musashibo Benkei, the 12th-century warrior monk famed for his size, strength, and unshakeable loyalty. The pattern was prominent in men's kimono design in the Edo period, known for its plain, masculine character.