Meet Lisa Fenton
Jubiri Threads

Lisa and Cory Fenton
Company: Jubiri Threads
FB and ETSY: Jubiri Threads

Tell us about yourself, your business…

When we first moved to Japan in 2013, I fell in love with Kimono Culture. It was so beautiful to see women in something so traditional and completely different from what I was used to. I started to see old/vintage kimonos for purchase at Shrine Sales (think antique markets at Shrines) but I couldn’t imagine what I would do with them. I certainly wasn’t going to wear them and neither was my family back in The States. Eventually we saw a woman who had repurposed kimonos to make into scarves. My husband looked at me and said, “You could do that.” And that sort of just birthed our business. We started with scarves but branched into things like buttons and bow ties just based on customer requests. This is something we do for fun but also to bring something so beautiful and unique from Japan to the United States and other Western countries. The most fun and unique part of this is that typically the items are quite literally-one-of-a-kind since we are working with the kimonos directly and not a bolt of kimono fabric.

How would you describe your art/craft? We utilize vintage and antique kimonos to bring some of Eastern culture to the Western world.

What kinds of items do you sell? What is the price range? We sell scarves, neckties, bow ties, earrings, hair accessories, cuff links, and pocket squares. Price ranges from $10-$50

How long have you been doing this? 3 years

Have you travelled to Japan? We lived in Japan for almost 7 years.

What is your favorite thing about working with kimono fabric? The kimonos we purchased in Japan were all abandoned by their previous owners typically because they were old and out of style. I love being able to take something that is no longer loved in its current form and transform it into something new and completely different ready to be loved by someone new.

What is the most challenging thing about working with kimono fabric? Because we purchased all of our kimonos intact, taking them apart is not difficult but time consuming. Sometimes this process becomes even more frustrating when we realize we didn’t thoroughly inspect the fabric and we find holes and stains, forcing us to lose much of the kimono.
See more of Lisa's creations below: