When it comes to luxe bath towels, there’s only one place to go: Imabari, Japan. Known for its pure mountain spring water, this city is a mecca for hundreds of towel companies who use the famed water to loom incredibly soft towels.

But not all Imabari towel makers are created equal... As the oldest maker in Imabari, this 4th-generation towel factory has spent 100 years perfecting every part of the process. Water filtering, yarn dyeing, towel looming, packaging – you name a step, and they’ve applied an unprecedented level of innovation to set a new standard for the industry.

When we visited, we got the chance to see this ingenuity firsthand. We went from one room to room, each one holding a new fascination – from a complex dye system to five-color weaving technique (trust us, it’s a big deal). Everyone couldn’t wait to tell us about their work and how it contributes to the high quality of the towels.

The best part? They showed us the family archives dating back to the start of the company in 1919. As we flipped through family photos and order ledgers, felt the first towel, and inspected the loom that made it, we couldn’t help but feel humbled by the rich tradition of craftsmanship, and the small part we get to play in their family history.