A closer look at the traditional process behind these handcrafted urushi drinking gourds. We’re committed to sharing what we make and how we make it with transparency, helping more people discover and appreciate this ancient craft.
If you enjoy handmade work and are inspired to create your own, we hope this video can be helpful.
Urushi is a natural lacquer made from the sap of the lacquer tree and has been used in Eastern craftsmanship for thousands of years for its strength, beauty, and water resistance.
Every step—cleaning, hollowing, boiling and dyeing, and urushi finishing—is done by hand and takes about three weeks from start to finish.
An urushi gourd is more than just a container. After being finished with traditional techniques, it develops a distinctive beauty of its own and can also be worn as a unique accessory.
Some people even use smaller gourd bottles as everyday pill containers for things like vitamins. Whenever I see people using them this way, it reminds me of the gourd items often seen in traditional stories and modern media
No two gourds are ever exactly the same, making each bottle quietly unique — a small piece of traditional craftsmanship meant to be used and enjoyed for years.
Each piece carries the quiet character of the material and the hands behind it.
More behind the scenes and daily use on Instagram: @emberoldways
If you’d like to carry one of your own, you can explore our small-batch gourds here.
