Boro (textile)

Indigo dye would often be grown and processed by the peasant classes themselves, being generally easy to grow, and also added a layer of protection to garments due to its moth-repelling properties.

Following the Meiji period and the general increase in living standards amongst the entire Japanese populace, most boro pieces were discarded and replaced by newer clothing.

To many working class Japanese people, these garments were an embarrassing reminder of their former poverty, and little effort was expended by government or cultural institutions at the time to preserve such artifacts.

Over time, boro textiles came to exemplify the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, with the fabric's reflection of natural wear and use considered beautiful.

[6] Many extant examples were preserved through the efforts of folklorists such as Chuzaburo Tanaka, who personally collected over 20,000 pieces of boro during his lifetime, including 786 items now designated as Important Tangible Cultural Properties.