Imabari Towel Industrial Association The second collaboration between Imabari towels and digital technology: Sparkling digital art turns into magical sparkling towels with world-first technology

[Imabari Towel Industrial Association] The second collaboration between Imabari towels and digital media: Sparkling digital art transformed into magical sparkling towels using world-first technology ​ Imabari Towel Industrial Association Press Release: October 2, 2025 To Members of the Media The second collaboration between Imabari towels and digital media: Sparkling digital art transformed into magical sparkling towels using world-first technology. “Framed Towels” unveiled at solo exhibition in Switzerland, “mandarin orange” pattern inspired by Ehime prefecture also available for general sale in limited quantities
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Imabari Towel, a Japanese brand promoted by the Imabari Towel Industrial Association (Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, Chairman: Yoshifumi Tanaka), has opened the “Imabari Towel” website in the Metaverse space. We are pleased to announce the second collaboration between a digital artist and a towel manufacturer, which originated from the “Digital Art Gallery.” Saeko Ehara (Tokyo), the up-and-coming “sparkling” digital artist who created a beautiful digital video exhibit at the Swiss Pavilion at EXPO 2025 Osaka-Kansai, showcasing Switzerland’s leading global company, Nestle, and its activities toward the future of society, has teamed up with the world’s first full-color jacquard towel, “Gosaiori.” These framed towels, crafted by Fujitaka Co., Ltd. (Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture), a company with the technology, will be unveiled at Ehara’s solo exhibition in Switzerland, opening on Thursday, October 2nd. By adding silver and lustrous (aurora) threads to the “Five-Color Weave,” we’ve perfectly recreated the sparkling digital art. Additionally, we plan to sell limited quantities of “mandarin orange”-patterned products, a nod to Ehime, to the general public. A sequel to the Imabari towel x digital art collaboration is currently underway. This unprecedented fusion of the real and the digital will help spread the appeal of Imabari towels not only to people in Japan, but to people all over the world. About the Imabari Towel Digital Art Gallery For 130 years, Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, has been known as the “holy land of towel making,” producing “safe, secure, and high-quality” towels. It has established an unshakable reputation as a towel-producing region, and currently enjoys a domestic recognition rate of approximately 90%, making it a brand beloved by consumers. On May 25, 2024 (Global Towel Day), the “Imabari Towel Digital Art Gallery” will be opened in the Metaverse as a new approach utilizing generative AI and other technologies to deliver “Imabari Towels” to users both in Japan and overseas. Artists from Japan and abroad who are involved in the digital development of world-famous brands are also participating, and the exhibition will showcase the essential values ​​of Imabari towels – “safety, security, and high quality” – as well as the spirit of craftsmanship through the display of towels from 13 towel manufacturers, and digital art by artists from Japan and abroad based on the concept of “Towels and Imabari.” ※Imabari Towel Digital Art
Gallery:https://www.imabaritowel.jp/digital-art-gallery/
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-868e8cf1c488463874c643d3ecfc2641-1920×1080.png Digital art based on the concept of Imabari towels (Annie Chiu) Imabari towel x digital artist collaboration By combining the craftsmanship of a towel manufacturer (real) with the creative talent of a digital artist (digital), we have planned a collaborative towel project to unlock new possibilities for towels and attract new, globally conscious users. For the first project, Oiso Towel Co., Ltd. collaborated with globally popular 12-year-old digital artist Zombie Zoo Keeper to create two pixel art versions of demons (oni) woven into 3D towels. The original digital artwork will be exhibited at the Imabari Towel Digital Art Gallery and can be enjoyed digitally from anywhere in the world. A third collaborative project is currently underway, featuring Aurora Achille (Italy) and Maruyama Towel Co., Ltd. *Summary of the first
round:https://www.imabaritowel.jp/imabari_life/interview/imabari_life/interview7879 Second Collaboration: “Saeko Ehara x Fujitaka” This collaboration features Imabari Towel When the digital art gallery was opened, Ehara created digital art based on the concept of “Imabari Towels.” This led to an encounter with Fujitaka Co., Ltd.’s world-first full-color jacquard towels, “Gosaiori,” and the collaboration drew attention to the close affinity between Ehara’s sparkling digital art and “Gosaiori.” After about a year of planning, the collaboration resulted in the development of “Crystal Chrysanthemum,” a framed towel to be exhibited at Ehara’s solo exhibition in Switzerland, and “Mikan Jewels,” a limited-edition product for the general public featuring a mandarin orange pattern associated with Ehime. In addition to exhibiting digital art within the digital art gallery, the
collaboration also plans to tour the framed towels. ※The world’s first full-color jacquard towel “Gosaiori is a unique technique by Fujitaka that uses six colors of thread to intricately weave photographs and paintings into towels. This is a completely new approach that sets it apart from the multicolored expression achieved by conventional printing techniques. It won the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award in the Product and Technique Development category of the Monozukuri Nippon Grand Awards. Collaboration work “Crystal “Chrysanthemum” Inspired by the chrysanthemum, a symbol of Japan, this piece depicts a sparkling glass flower. The image was generated using ComfyUI, an AI tool that uses node-based stable diffusion, and then finished as digital art with generative effects added using node-based visual coding software. For the towels, which are made using the “Five-Color Weave” technique, the base colors were reselected under the supervision of engineer Makoto Utsunomiya. Silver thread is used for all weft threads, and one of the six colors features a special lustrous thread called “Aurora.” Taking advantage of the 3D
characteristics of towel weaving, the towels sparkle magically depending on the light.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-c195a23776ee5ac4795d3090ccb19f3e-1920×1920.jpg Digital Art (Digital)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-f346d02041251c986b046e16a9accc3b-2400×2400.jpg Five-Color Woven Towel (Realistic)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-70624e64d54b5a84102fea751690521a-2400×1603.jpg Meticulous adjustments and reweaving at Fujitaka’s headquarters in Imabari City
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-f576d751d7be8f6147082c1d0fa0724d-2400×1600.jpg A “sparkling” towel that pushes the limits of Gosai weaving. Specifications: Framed towel (towel: approx. 92cm x 92cm) Exhibition: Galerie Glaab (Switzerland) Gallery https://www.galerieglaab.com Dates: October 2nd – 25th, 2025
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-e250e34fa9d5f33771236849ff6928fc-1920×927.png Image of a collaborative exhibition in a digital art gallery “Mikan Jewels” Dimensions: Approximately 92cm x 92cm Imabari Towel Brand Product Certification Number: No. 2025-2186 Price: ¥16,500 (tax included) Release Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025 Sales: Scheduled for “FUJITAKA TOWEL GINZA,” “Imabari Towel Main Store,” and other locations Notes: Limited to 40 copies worldwide. A store event will be held at “FUJITAKA TOWEL GINZA” on the release date.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-707c0194eaf4ff664540b586317dd3ef-1920×1920.jpg Limited-edition “mandarin orange”-patterned products, inspired by Ehime Prefecture, are also available for sale.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-a1d035ad103a691487ca66d048c363e6-1920×1920.jpg Framed towels featuring the azalea, Imabari City’s flower, will also be circulating. *The inside story behind the development of this collaboration can be found on the official Imabari Towel brand website under ” Saeko Ehara In recent years, he has been focusing on works that combine AI and generative art. His goal is to fill the world with sparkling things and exciting emotions through his work. Rather than limiting himself to a single software or form of expression, he continues to research various technologies in pursuit of sparkling expression. He also created a beautiful digital video exhibit for the Swiss Pavilion at EXPO 2025 Osaka-Kansai, showcasing the global company Nestle’s activities toward the future of society. He has also collaborated with Mika Ninagawa and Rira Ikuta (YOASOBI). Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-3bb8fb71418489e9125ba6b81a96e447-3000×1178.jpg From left: Saeko Ehara Ehara, digital art based on the concept of “Imabari Towels,” and other examples of his work Website:
https://skohr.works/ Instagram: @sko.hr Comments on this collaboration When I was creating this piece, I had no idea how precisely the work I’d created with AI and TouchDesigner would be reproduced with six colors of thread. However, when I first saw the finished product, its intricacy far exceeded my expectations, and I was truly moved by the incredible level of perfection for a towel. After numerous adjustments and reweavings, it was finally completed. Through this collaboration, I was deeply moved by the advanced technical skills of traditional Japanese craftsmanship and the passion of the artisans. I was reminded once again that the Imabari towels we use every day are made with love and tireless effort. While there’s only so much I can do as an artist, I hope as many people as possible will see this incredible technique and enjoy this unique towel art that blends tradition and innovation. The sparkle of the woven threads, which cannot be fully captured in a photograph, is a must-see. Fujitaka Co., Ltd. (Imabari Towel Industrial Association, Company Number: 0315) Boasting the highest sales in Japan, Fujitaka has one of the longest histories among existing towel manufacturers in Imabari. Shortly after its founding, the company earned a reputation for its “technical expertise” and has led the industry by producing well-known brand towels, filing patent applications, and promoting the branding of the Imabari Towel Regeneration Project. Despite being located in Imabari, where division of labor is increasing, the company is committed to in-house production to improve quality and ensure traceability, and has built an integrated production system from yarn dyeing to finishing. Because towels come into contact with skin every day, its affiliated companies strive to provide products that are safe to use, filtering and processing water to a drinkable level and adhering to stricter wastewater standards than other regions of Japan.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-26b2ece6399e3d8acad4e05cba328c96-761×286.jpg Representative: Representative Director, Ryo Fujitaka Address: 3-5-16 Betsumiya-cho, Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, 794-0026 HP:
https://fujitakatowel.jp/ Instagram: ＠fujitaka_towel About Future Collaborations As the third installment, Maruyama Towel Co., Ltd. (Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture) is currently working on a plan to turn “Ether Purity,” a work exhibited at the Imabari Towel Digital Art Gallery and created by Aurora Achille (Italy) based on the concept of “Imabari Towels,” into a realistic towel using the artisan’s skills.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/24436/89/24436-89-4908a5ac539851719d5b6d4ba74eaa1e-3000×1178.jpg In addition to reproducing the texture of digital art, we plan to create towels that comply with European water quality standards. [Aurora x Maruyama Towel Co., Ltd.] Aurora Achille:
https://www.instagram.com/aurorae.___/ Maruyama Towel Co., Ltd.: https://maruyamatowel.co.jp/ [Planning] MA3world Co., Ltd.:
https://www.instagram.com/ma3.world/ Imabari Towel Industrial Association Representative: Chairman Tanaka Yoshifumi Address: 5-14-3 Tomon-cho, Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, 794-0033 Phone:
0898-32-7000 URL: https://www.itia.or.jp Established: November 1, 1952 Union members: 75 companies Capital Investment: 98,252,000 yen Business Activities: Guidance and education on the towel manufacturing industry, collection and provision of information and materials related to the towel manufacturing industry, research and studies on the towel manufacturing industry, promotion of the union brand for members, joint purchasing activities, etc. Official Social Media: Facebook Imabari Towel (@imabaritowel) Instagram ＠imabaritowelofficial Digital Art Gallery: https://www.imabaritowel.jp/digital-art-gallery