Asa: Hemp-Flax Black/Silver-Gray Checkerboard, 1960's Semi-Sheer Kimono Fabric Pieces from Japan 14" x60" #ZP-30:

Rare hemp/flax/ramie (one, two or all) kimono fabric, also known as Asa in Japan, has been made for centuries in Japan and often used for utilitarian and work clothing, screens and mesh, etc. It's nothing like silk, much stronger than cotton, a bit supple, a little see-through, a little coarse to the touch. The whole design is done in the intricate ikat weave.  Solid black squares alternate with ornate diamonds and crosses. The light gray (or white?) in certain lights has a silvery sheen; we're not sure if it's true silver or how this was woven in.  Dark and dramatic. Both sides are just the same.  Feather light; each piece is just a bit over 2 ounces. It's not silky-soft; it's a bit coarse, and bouncy, slightly stiff but also supple, with no drape. Sold per 14" x 60" piece.Japan, 1960's, pieces from a former kimono.