Introducing Trillium (a new name for Washi)

I’ve decided to rename the Washi pattern, which we recently re-released in a new size range. The fact that the pattern has recently undergone a big transition and the fact that we are working on printing it soon makes this change seem timely. Renaming the Washi pattern is something I’ve carefully considered and realize could potentially cause some confusion, so I want to communicate about this process clearly and with openness. 

The word “washi” is Japanese and means “Japanese paper.” The pattern was originally named after the fabric design I used to sew my first version of the dress, which featured overlapping pieces of washi tape, a colorful adhesive tape which was very popular in the craft and scrapbooking scene in 2012 when I first launched this pattern. 

Since that time, I have come to understand that my use of the word “washi” — a word which has cultural significance for people of Japanese heritage — is problematic. My understanding is that the art of washi making is a tradition that has been handed down in families for generations. If you’re interested in learning more about washi, this article from Awagami Factory in Japan details the papermaking process of the Fujimori family, and this video showing one of their papers being made from hand is quite interesting. 

Like many of you, I’ve felt challenged in recent years and months to do more listening and learning surrounding anti-racism, and part of this has been examining my own role in perpetuating white supremacy. Cultural appropriation is one aspect of white supremacy and in learning more about it, I felt compelled to examine why I was using a Japanese word (“washi”) to name a pattern. I am not Japanese, nor do I have a meaningful connection to Japanese culture. Using a Japanese word to name a pattern which I sell and profit from perpetuates cultural appropriation and I do not want to be a part of causing that kind of harm. I am sorry for using this word and to those it may have offended, for not initially considering the impact its use might have on those of Japanese heritage when I chose it, and for not correcting this sooner. I care deeply about righting this wrong. 

If the topic of cultural appropriation is unfamiliar to you, or if you are wondering “what’s the big deal,” or you feel defensive on my behalf, I would challenge you to consider learning more before you react. It is upholding white supremacy when white people borrow names and aspects of another culture for whom it has meaning and significance. Unfortunately, the burden of pointing out these problems to white folks almost always falls to People of Color, and often their attempts to do so are dismissed, ignored, met with defensiveness or outrage, which ultimately creates more emotional labor for the people who are already doing the work of pointing it out in the first place.

One of the people whose work I follow is Emi Ito (@little_kotos_closet on Instagram). Emi frequently writes about racism and cultural appropriation, and one topic she speaks out about is the appropriation of the kimono in fashion and pattern design. In one Instagram post, she called on sewing pattern designers to reconsider using Japanese words for pattern names which I found incredibly compelling and which led me to begin thinking about this. She expands on this topic and specifically addresses white creatives in another article called “An open letter to white makers and designers.” Some of her points address the appropriation of kimono, but most also pertain to the use of other words that have cultural significance to people of Japanese heritage. I am incredibly grateful to Emi for sharing these posts and her work. If you choose to read more of Emi’s writing, please remember to listen and respect her work and space. I also encourage you to join Emi’s Patreon -- it’s a great space where she shares even more and where she can be compensated for her labor. 

Another maker whose writing on this topic I have found helpful is Makiko Hastings, who clearly lays out a number of compelling points about the significance of naming in her post “Naming DOES matter,” which I would encourage you to thoughtfully read. Again, please remember to listen and respect her space by refraining from commenting or asking questions. She is not an anti-racism educator, but someone who chose to share very personally about her culture. 

I continue to uncover areas of ignorance in myself and expect I will continue to do so for quite some time. I’m very grateful to the anti-racism experts and educators and fellow sewists in our community that continue to share their knowledge so that we can all be better humans. I’m especially grateful to Emi Ito for her honest feedback when I sought her input. 

Making one change is just that -- one change, and I hope to continuously and intentionally learn more, do better, and make more changes to dismantle white supremacy. 

Please note that the comments below will be moderated. If you see something questionable before I am able to respond or delete it, please feel free to reach out directly at rae.made@gmail.com. Racism, bullying, or any other discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated in the comments section of this post.

A NEW NAME

The Washi Pattern will now be called the Trillium Pattern. 

Washi was my first adult pattern, and soon afterward I designed the Geranium pattern, which was meant to be a children’s version of the Washi pattern. Like Geranium, Trillium is also a flower, and both grow in the wild here in Michigan. The words Trillium and Geranium both have similar endings (“ium”), which may help to emphasize the connection between the two patterns. Trillium is a special flower, and I love spotting them in the woods when I’m outside with my children as they add little sparkles of white and pale pink color along the forest floor. I think this will be a lovely name for this special pattern. 

The #washidress tag will now be #mbrtrillium, and I would appreciate that you support this decision by updating any hashtags or links you’ve used to post about your creations, or when you post about your new makes with this pattern. 

We will begin to roll out the name update in a number of ways: the PDF file will be updated and resent to everyone who has purchased it, the shop listing and Washi page will redirect to the new Trillium listing and Trillium page, and we will communicate with our retailers about the change so that they can make the necessary changes in their listings and shops as well. 

We want to provide enough information about the name change to avoid confusion (for instance: we won’t flat-out delete the Washi page, but rather post information and redirect to a new page), while still making as clear a transition as possible. The truth is, it’s not clear, it’s messy. Working through this has been a humbling lesson in that.

Thank you for reading and for your continued support!

UPDATE 2 PM EST 8/12/2020: It’s come to my attention that new comments were not working on the desktop version of this site (comments seem to be working via mobile device) — thank you to those who emailed me to let me know. I’m sorry for the inconvenience!

UPDATE 4 PM EST 8/12/2020: Comments are working again! please let me know via the contact page if you have any trouble commenting. Thank you!