Ramie is a natural bast fiber extracted from the stems of perennial plants, and has long been popular in Japan as high-quality cloth. High-quality cloth is made by carefully extracting the fine parts of the fibers and weaving them in a plain weave. It is a high-quality summer cloth that is cool and thin, yet has a refined luster.

After harvesting, the stems are soaked in water or left outside for a certain period of time to break down unnecessary soft tissue with the help of microorganisms, dew, and sunlight. Once the fibers are sufficiently soft, the outer skin is removed by crushing or peeling, and the fibers are refined and sifted through a comb, and only the long, straight parts are spun into thread.

Ramie fiber has high tensile strength, excellent moisture absorption, quick drying, and breathability, so it does not feel sticky even in sweaty seasons, and the more it is used, the more it shines and becomes comfortable against the skin. It has almost no elasticity, so it wrinkles easily, but this has been loved as a charm. It is highly resistant to pests and requires almost no irrigation, which reduces the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers and makes it a sustainable material that reduces the burden on water resources and soil.

The main production areas for the raw material are China (Hunan and Zhejiang provinces), India, Brazil, the Philippines, etc., but in Japan, jofu made using different techniques in each region has been passed down as a cultural tradition, such as Echigo jofu in Niigata Prefecture and Omi jofu in Shiga Prefecture.