Imabari Towel x Digital Art Collaboration Towel, First Release on April 28th

2025.06.03

Imabari Towel x Digital Art Collaboration Towel, First Release on April 28th
~ Zombie Zoo Keeper, World-Famous NFT Artist, x Ohiso Towel, Second Release Planned~

Imabari Towel x Digital Artist Collaboration, First Release “Zombie Zoo Keeper x Ohiso Towel”

Imabari Towel, a Japanese brand promoted by the Imabari Towel Industrial Association (Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, Chairman Hiroshi Masaoka), has begun collaborations with digital artists, starting with the imabari towel digital art gallery, which was opened in the metaverse space, in order to spread the appeal and craftsmanship spirit of Imabari towels both domestically and internationally.

The first release is by 12-year-old digital artist Zombie Zoo Keeper, who has gained worldwide popularity by creating NFT collections based on the concept of “zombies x animals,” and Ohiso Towel Co., Ltd. (Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture), which exhibit at the imabari towel digital art gallery, and depicts a pixel art “ogre” on a towel. Sales began on Monday, April 28th at the Imabari Towel Main Store and other locations, and the digital art is also exhibited in the digital art gallery.

The Imabari Towel x Digital Art collaboration is planned for the second onwards, and the unprecedented fusion of real and digital will promote the appeal of Imabari towels to people not only in Japan but all over the world.

About the imabari towel
digital art gallery

Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture, has been the “holy land of towel making” for 130 years, producing “safe, secure, and high-quality” towels and has established an unshakable position as a towel production area. In 2006, the “Imabari Towel Project” was launched. The Imabari production area, which was on the verge of collapse, made a miraculous comeback, and now has a domestic recognition rate of about 90%, and is active as a brand widely loved by consumers.

On May 25, 2024 (globally known as Towel Day), the imabari towel digital art gallery was opened in the metaverse space as a new approach to delivering Imabari towels to users both in Japan and overseas using technologies such as generative AI. Domestic and international artists involved in the digital development of world-famous brands have also participated, and the gallery has displayed the essential values of Imabari towels, namely “safety, security, and high quality,” the spirit of craftsmanship through the display of towels from 13 towel manufacturers, and digital art by domestic and international artists based on the concept of “towels and Imabari.”

Digital art created with the concept of towels and Imabari. (Annie Chiu)

imabari towel digital art gallery: https://www.imabaritowel.jp/digital-art-gallery/

Imabari towels x digital artists collaboration

This time, we have planned a collaboration towel between Imabari towels and digital art, with the aim of creating new possibilities for towels and attracting new users with a global perspective by combining the manufacturing (real) of towel manufacturers with the creative (digital) of digital artists.

The first installment is a collaboration between 12-year-old digital artist “Zombie Zoo Keeper,” who has gained worldwide popularity by creating an NFT collection based on the concept of “zombies x animals,” and Ohiso Towel Co., Ltd., which produces more than 5 million towel handkerchiefs a year and has recently been working on turning artwork by people with disabilities into towels.

For this collaboration, pixel art of “ogre” (2 types) was produced as a three-dimensional towel fabric. In March, it was previewed at the gallery “artverse” in Paris, France, and released at the Imabari Towel main store and other locations on April 28th. The original digital art is on display at the “imabari towel digital art gallery” and can be enjoyed from anywhere in the world through the digital space.

The original digital art can be enjoyed from anywhere in the world through the metaverse space.

The second installment of the Imabari Towel x Digital Art collaboration is also planned. For the second phase, Saeko Ehara (Tokyo), an up-and-coming digital artist who has collaborated with Mika Ninagawa and Rira Ikuta (YOASOBI) in 2024, is currently working with Fujitaka Co., Ltd. (Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture) to create framed towels.

Furthermore, for the third phase, Maruyama Towel Co., Ltd. (Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture) has begun planning to turn “Ether Purity,” a work exhibited at the imabari towel digital art gallery and created by Aurora Achille (Italy) with the concept of “Towels and Imabari,” into a towel.

The project is planned to be unveiled at solo digital art exhibitions in Switzerland and Italy, and the unprecedented fusion of real and digital will further promote the appeal of Imabari towels to people not only in Japan but all over the world.

The first collaboration towel “Zombie Zoo Keeper x
Ohiso Towel”

“Kurogami-sama”

Specifications: Towel handkerchief (25cm x 25cm)

Imabari Towel Brand Product Certification Number: No. 2025-612

Price: 2,200 yen (including tax)

https://imabari-towel.jp/shop/g/g1422811/

Kurogami – sama

“Aogami-sama”

Specifications: Towel handkerchief (25cm x 25cm)

Imabari Towel Brand Product Certification Number: No. 2025-761

Price: 2,200 yen (including tax)

https://imabari-towel.jp/shop/g/g1422812/

Aogami-sama

Sold at: “Imabari Towel Head Store” and others

Kurogami-sama uses “white” and “black” to express a “chubby, round ogre.” Aogami-sama uses blue and yellow to express a “thin, rough ogre.”

In addition to creating contrast with the light and dark when viewed as a whole, the nose, mouth, and horns are made the same shape to make the differences stand out more.

In March 2025, it was pre-released at the gallery “artverse” in Paris, France, and was well-received.

Pre-release at the gallery “artverse” in Paris.

*You can read the story behind the design of the collaboration towel on the Imabari Towel official brand site IMABARI LIFE

Zombie Zoo Keeper

A genius digital artist who is captivating the world at just 12 years old.

Born in Tokyo, the artist began his journey into NFT with the concept “Zombie x Animals,” which started off as his summer research project in elementary school. His work caught the global attention when it was purchased by music producer and DJ, Steve Aoki, and this inspired many creators to try their hand at digital art from Japan.

As of April 2025, the collection comprises 260 pieces with a total transaction volume of 128 ETH. The main exhibition is “MOT Annual” at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo.

Zombie Zoo Keeper: https://www.instagram.com/zombiezooart/

Ohiso Towel Co., Ltd.
(Imabari Towel Industrial Association, Company Number: 1160)

Representative: Representative Director Tsubouchi Hitoshi

Address: 3023-1 Shinyashiki-ko, Komatsu-cho, Saijo-shi, Ehime 799-1101

Website: https://ohisotowel.co.jp/

The company has been making towels at the foot of Mt. Ishizuchi, the largest mountain in western Japan, for over 65 years. They believe that “it is the manufacturer’s mission to make good products at low cost,” and are working on human resource development, technological innovation, and cost reduction.

They currently produce over 5 million towel handkerchiefs a year together with their overseas bases, and have earned recognition both at home and abroad. In recent years, they have also been working on new initiatives such as turning artwork by people with disabilities into towels.