Sasawashi fabric is made by blending two revered Japanese materials—yarns of Washi paper and the leaves of the kumazasa plant—to create a new super-fiber that retains the best properties of both. Washi is a unique paper, absorbent of both oil and water, used to control heat and UV rays in the summer. Kumazasa thrives through harsh winter weather and has antibacterial properties—together, they make for a gentle yet hard-working cleansing cloth or towel.