KOMEBUKURO POUCH #1 – DARNINA

A hand-sewn pouch designed for safely transporting tea ceramics while traveling. Komebukuro is a traditional Japanese style of drawstring bag, originally created to carry rice offerings to temples — here, it’s thoughtfully adapted for tea ware. We personally use these pouches whenever we transport ceramics; they work wonderfully for trips and outdoor tea sessions.

The pouch is surprisingly spacious — it easily fits a teapot, chahai, and tea cups. Inside, there are extra flaps of fabric that can be wrapped around and used to separate the ceramic pieces, like lids. The pouch itself is made from a thick layer of soft material, protective enough that when we once accidentally dropped a pouch full of ceramics onto a stone floor, nothing broke. We wouldn’t recommend trying that again, but we promise the komebukuro is much more effective than classic “teapot cases” — easier to carry, and without question, more beautiful.

The pouch is made from natural carded cotton and hand-dyed using traditional, plant-based methods — in this case, spruce and sumac. It has a soft, light color, while the interior flaps (“tongues”) are blue-grey. Handy drawstrings let you securely fasten the pouch and protect your tea ceramics.

Weronika Sędzimir — also known as Darnina — has been our dear friend for many years. She specializes in natural tailoring, using traditional folk techniques. She dyes her fabrics herself with plants gathered from the forests surrounding her village. Often, she works with old materials full of character and soul, transforming them into something new. We highly encourage you to follow her on Instagram!