Kimonos getting vibrant and sustainable revampAP, TOKYOThe kimono, that elaborate, delicate wrap-around garment worn by geisha and samurai from centuries back, is getting a vibrant remake, appreciated these days for a virtue that is more relevant than ever: sustainability. Designer Tomoko Ohkata, left, and her assistant hold Ohkata’s designs made from old kimono in Tokyo on Jan. 15. What designer Tomoko Ohkata loves most about the products she designs using old kimonos is that she does not have to live with a guilty conscience, and instead feels she is helping solve an ecological problem. Recycling venues in Japan get thousands of old kimonos a day as people find them stashed away in closets by parents and grandparents. These days, Japanese generally wear kimonos just for special occasions such as weddings.

Source: Taipei Times February 20, 2026 16:49 UTC