A New Japanese Yarn From Amirisu ~ Genmou

It’s the international launch day for a fabulous new Japanese wool yarn ~ Genmou. It’s a collaboration between the Japanese spinning company Daruma (who make our wonderful Buaisou indigo threads) and Amirisu!

Together they are making a beautiful new yarn, Genmou, and some stunning patterns to go with it!

Amirisu produce a beautiful magazine, from Japan. We are so proud that a few years ago, when they began, Loop was their very first stockist!

They wanted to produce a yarn that complemented their design ideals so they turned to Daruma, who have been spinning since 1901, but have a modern outlook. Daruma produce refined and well-designed products and kits for hand sewing.

Beginning as makers of silk thread for Japanese Kimonos, Daruma have always made excellent quality fibres. As soon as Susan saw the yarn and the incredible palette of bright happy colours as well as the wide range of neutrals, she was smitten.

Once they started talking, Daruma and Amirisu discovered they had shared tastes and values. Amirisu wanted to bring great Japanese products to international customers, while Daruma wanted help entering the international market.  Their goals matched very nicely.

Daruma launched a knitting yarn in Japan, called Genmou. Light and airy, it’s  a very soft yarn made from twisting merino wool very lightly. There is a second merino thread spun around the main merino fibre. The effect is very beautiful.

The name comes from the texture and softness, like raw wool before spinning. ‘GENMOU’ means raw wool in Japanese.

Daruma and Amirisu agreed it’s a unique yarn, perfect for launching to an international market . During the first year of their collaboration, they spent a lot of time introducing the Daruma team to the yarn business outside of Japan, including high quality yarns and how they are sold, while also narrowing down the list of great designers they wanted to work with, developing patterns.