Jinsin is a woven straw fabric famous for its sculptural quality. It has a warp of buntal straw and a weft of polyester thread, so it falls in strong vertical lines and creates powerful, sculptural curves.
Buntal fibre is made from the leaf stalks of the Buri (or 'talipot') palm, which has leaves up to twelve feet long and is native to the Phillippines. This tropical tree bears flowers and fruit only once in its lifetime. The huge stalks must be harvested and stripped by hand, so jinsin is the result of a great deal of care and effort.
Jinsin produces an interesting effect when dyed, because it is a blend of natural straw fibre, which holds colour richly, and synthetic thread, which does not. This creates a stark contrasting effect between the warp and the weft of the fabric.
Jinsin creates incredible shapes when curved and flexed. The silk can be stripped away to create a wild spray of fibres. Jinsin can also be blocked and stiffened.
Jinsin was introduced to Australia in 2007 and was quickly adopted by many milliners. It has become one of the most popular materials used in Waltraud's workshops.
Our students have created some amazing millinery work with jinsin. Have a look at the possibilities below and fall in love with this unique and beautiful material.
Interested in learning more about working with jinsin, but don't know how to use it? Contact us to ask any questions - we're always happy to help! - or keep an eye on our millinery workshop schedule for classes on working with this gorgeous material!
