Since 2015, we have been exhibiting at exhibitions in the UK every year, and when we visited the UK, we heard a story about this loom that made us feel a true connection to it.
(Photo: Science Museum, National Museum of Science and Industry, UK)
In the 18th century in England, Richard Arkwright invented the spinning machine and the carding machine, which finely combed cotton to make it easier to spin.
This invention enabled the mass production of thread and was a major driving force behind the British Industrial Revolution.
(Photo taken at the British Science Museum)
Over 100 years later, the technology was transferred from Britain to Japan, and Japanese inventors including Sakichi Toyoda led the way in mechanizing and automating looms.
Sakichi was originally born in Enshu (Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture) near Toyohashi. The Mikawa region, where Toyohashi is located, is a textile production area, and the invention of the loom gave a boost to production, laying the foundation for the development of Japan's textile industry.
Among the looms invented by Sakichi Toyoda is the "N-type wide power loom (N-type loom)."
This is a wide-width loom developed to meet the demand for cotton fabric to be exported overseas. Japanese kimono bolts are narrow, measuring 36 cm wide, while wide looms are about 50 cm wide. This size was suitable for weaving aprons, so the loom was modified to add tassels to aprons, and the N-type loom came to be used to manufacture aprons.
Incidentally, the tassels on the apron are said to have originated from the decorations used at shrines, and have a sacred significance; they are also used in sumo wrestlers' mawashi.
Based on this N-type loom, the G-type automatic loom was later developed, which was fully automated and acclaimed to be the best in the world.
At Anything's Toyohashi factory, there are 10 looms still in use, two of which are Type N looms (manufactured in 1949).
When I visited the National Museum of Science and Industry in London, England, I learned from curator Ben that the history of the loom can be traced back to Britain during the Industrial Revolution.
By the way, the Type G automatic loom is on display here because the patent rights were transferred to a British company.
I would like to visit again in 2018.
*For more information on Sakichi Toyoda and weaving machines, please see here. The close relationship between "Toyota" and the "Toyohashi Apron Factory"
http://www.anything.ne.jp/maekake/arch/2014/12/post_496.html
(Article written by Nishimura)
http://www.anything.ne.jp/maekake/assets_c/2018/09/IMG_20170912_121428-thumb-770x433-1758.jpg
(Photo: Science Museum, National Museum of Science and Industry, UK)
In the 18th century in England, Richard Arkwright invented the spinning machine and the carding machine, which finely combed cotton to make it easier to spin.
This invention enabled the mass production of thread and was a major driving force behind the British Industrial Revolution.
(Photo taken at the British Science Museum)
Over 100 years later, the technology was transferred from Britain to Japan, and Japanese inventors including Sakichi Toyoda led the way in mechanizing and automating looms.
Sakichi was originally born in Enshu (Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture) near Toyohashi. The Mikawa region, where Toyohashi is located, is a textile production area, and the invention of the loom gave a boost to production, laying the foundation for the development of Japan's textile industry.
Among the looms invented by Sakichi Toyoda is the "N-type wide power loom (N-type loom)."
This is a wide-width loom developed to meet the demand for cotton fabric to be exported overseas. Japanese kimono bolts are narrow, measuring 36 cm wide, while wide looms are about 50 cm wide. This size was suitable for weaving aprons, so the loom was modified to add tassels to aprons, and the N-type loom came to be used to manufacture aprons.
Incidentally, the tassels on the apron are said to have originated from the decorations used at shrines, and have a sacred significance; they are also used in sumo wrestlers' mawashi.
Based on this N-type loom, the G-type automatic loom was later developed, which was fully automated and acclaimed to be the best in the world.
At Anything's Toyohashi factory, there are 10 looms still in use, two of which are Type N looms (manufactured in 1949).
When I visited the National Museum of Science and Industry in London, England, I learned from curator Ben that the history of the loom can be traced back to Britain during the Industrial Revolution.
By the way, the Type G automatic loom is on display here because the patent rights were transferred to a British company.
I would like to visit again in 2018.
*For more information on Sakichi Toyoda and weaving machines, please see here. The close relationship between "Toyota" and the "Toyohashi Apron Factory"
http://www.anything.ne.jp/maekake/arch/2014/12/post_496.html
(Article written by Nishimura)
http://www.anything.ne.jp/maekake/assets_c/2018/09/IMG_20170912_121428-thumb-770x433-1758.jpg