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Traditional Kintsugi Shop TSUGU TSUGU

Raw Urushi Lacquer for kintsugi (30 g) (TSUGUKIT Refill)

Raw Urushi Lacquer for kintsugi (30 g) (TSUGUKIT Refill)

Regular price $15.82 USD
Regular price Sale price $15.82 USD
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Raw Urushi Lacquer Refill Pack (30 g). This tube of urushi is a refill product for our kintsugi kit TSUGUKIT. It can be used for kintsugi and lacquerware projects.

■ Product details

1 x Tube of Raw Urushi (30g)
This tube should be ideally used within a year after being produced.

■ What is urushi ?

Urushi is the tree sap of the lacquer tree. It has been used as a natural glue and a coating layer for hundreds of years in Japan. It is the main ingredient used in kintsugi and Japanese lacquerware. Once it has hardened, urushi is very strong and durable. It is also completely food safe.

-Since lacquer is tree sap and a raw material, it is better to store it in a cool, dark place (such as a refrigerator) to maintain its quality.

-Lacquer is less likely to harden if stored for a long period of time.
If such a condition occurs, please purchase new fresh lacquer.

■ !!! Warning !!!

Urushi lacquer should always be handled with care because it can trigger strong skin rashes if it comes into direct contact with the skin. You should always wear gloves and cover your skin when using urushi lacquer. If urushi gets on your skin, wash it off as soon as possible with vegetable oil. Applying hand-cream can help prevent strong rashes.

If you experience a rash when using raw urushi lacquer, please stop using it immediately and make sure to seek the advice of a physician.

Please note that Tsugu Tsugu is not liable for skin irritations caused by the use of urushi.

If you get lacquer on your skin, we would appreciate it if you would immediately dissolve the lacquer in canola oil and remove it, then wash your hands with soap and water.

■ How does urushi harden?

Urushi actually cures by absorbing the ambient humidity. The ideal conditions for curing would be 20~25℃ (68-77°F) with a humidity level of 70~80%. To recreate these conditions, you can make a "urushiburo." You can refer to the following video to create your own urushiburo: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouDCBSd92FA
If the temperature and the humidity are good, urushi should take 3-4 days to cure. It can take longer if you are in a drier environment


■ Shipping worldwide

It takes about less than a week on average, provided you have told us your phone number beforehand and there is no delay at customs.

There may be shipping restrictions and delays due to sudden changes in legislation and COVID-19. When in doubt, please contact us to check if we can ship our products to your country.
 
For the customers residing within the EU: Following the recent rule change regarding custom clearance and VAT payment for products bought online, VAT can be prepaid on ETSY for orders under 150 euro (excl. shipping fee). Thanks to this system, you do not have to pay any extra handling fees to the shipping company.

There is no change for orders above 150 euros:  we can ship you our kits but you will most likely have to go to your local custom office to pay applicable taxes and duty (about 60 euros for one kit, including DHL's handling fee).

Notes: We cannot ship to P.O. boxes.

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What is Kintsugi?

Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art form that originated in the 15th century, and it's been around for over 500 years. When a cherished piece of pottery or porcelain breaks, Kintsugi specialists repair it using natural materials such as genuine lacquer and then decorate the repair marks with gold or silver to make them stand out instead of trying to hide them. Rather, we should allow cracks and blemishes in our belongings to shine and tell a story of their own. The result is an object that's more beautiful than before it was broken, and uniquely valuable because of its history. This is the kintsugi philosophy.

We Are Kintsugi Specialists

Tsugu Tsugu is proud to be part of this ancient tradition—we use only natural materials for our kintsugi repairs. We know where beginners tend to get stuck in the process because we receive so many repairs every day and have taught kintsugi classes for years. That's why our products are filled with educational information and easy-to-understand instructions, along with YouTube videos on the proper way to perform authentic kintsugi. Our goal is to help people around the world successfully perform authentic kintsugi and enjoy a long and prosperous life with their beautiful and favorite pottery.

About Tsugu Tsugu

At Tsugu Tsugu, we are proud to offer kintsugi classes almost every day so that you can share in the fascination of restoring broken pottery.

We believe that there's something special about a piece of broken pottery—it's not just an object that needs to be thrown away, but rather it becomes a treasure once repaired with gold or silver lacquer and put back together. We want to make sure that as many people as possible get to experience this ancient Japanese technique and feel the same joy we do when we see our customers' faces light up with excitement.

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