There are many different types of canvas bags, but there are also many different types of canvas fabric.
For example, even the same canvas can be washed, paraffin-treated, which is what we will be looking at this time, or PCV-treated.

At Kawanishi Kaban Products, we don't just use regular canvas, we use fabric that has been paraffin-treated. We did some research on paraffin processing.

What is paraffin anyway?

I immediately asked Wikipedia.

Paraffin (solid)
At room temperature, it is a translucent or white soft solid (waxy), does not dissolve in water, and is chemically stable. It is mainly composed of a mixture of normal paraffins with 20 or more carbon atoms, and its melting point varies depending on the application. In Japan, it is often simply called paraffin, but to avoid confusion with kerosene, it is also called paraffin wax.

It is commonly used in candles, crayons, etc., and is often treated as wax in everyday life, but it is important to note that Japanese wax and Western wax are completely different chemically.

Paraffin – Wikipedia

Hmm. I wonder if it's candle wax. I looked into candles just to be sure.

A candle (written in kanji as ろうそくろう or 號キャンドル, English: candle) is a candle that has a wick made of twisted cotton thread or similar material, with wax or paraffin molded around the wick.

Candle – Wikipedia

Ah, it is candle wax after all.

Paraffin is the wax used in candles.

So, what is paraffin processing?

Paraffin processing is a technique that has been used since ancient times, in which the fabric is soaked in wax to give it waterproof properties.

A distinctive feature of this style is that the wax is soaked into the fabric, which leaves small creases and white lines on the surface of the fabric (especially black).
This is a characteristic of the fabric and does not mean the product is defective , so please be careful.

In fact, when I first started making bags, I made a big fuss because I mistook white lines on the black paraffin canvas fabric for a defect (lol).
It's an embarrassing past. Lol

How waterproof is it?

The easiest way to test the waterproofness of a fabric is to use a spray bottle to see how much water penetrates it.
The image shows the paraffin canvas we use, which repels water extremely well (^^)
Of course, we spray it with water using a spray bottle!

After washing, the paraffin will disappear.

Paraffin coating can generally be removed by washing.
Therefore, I think it's best to basically use a brush for maintenance.

But there are times when you really need to wash it.
In that case, give up on the paraffin and just wash it.

It's surprisingly refreshing and also creates a surprisingly nice atmosphere.

Especially the bags we make are sewn very securely, so there's no problem!
However, the texture will change!
If there is any tear or fraying at the seams, please contact us via the inquiry form and we will repair it if necessary.

By the way, you can find abb (Abebe) here .

Thank you for reading to the end.

Kawanishi Bags is currently developing a new product, and is creating a bag using canvas that has been thoroughly paraffin-treated!

I will be posting updates not only on this blog, but also on the Kawanishi Kaban Facebook and Instagram , so please follow me (^^)