The first towels were introduced into Japan from the UK in 1872 and were initially used as scarves. In 1887, local textiles merchant Satoi Enjiru obtained towels from Germany and began to research the weaving process used to make towels. The towels were bleached after production (atozarashi), leading to towels that were incredibly soft to touch and highly absorbent.

Atozarashi towels are typically woven with thin, raw fibers which are coated with an adhesive agent (such as starch) to increase durability. However, the problem with fibers treated in such a way is that they can repel water and as a result, the towels are less absorbent. Senshu towels follow a post-production process of washing and bleaching to wash away adhesive agents, remaining oils, and other impurities. The final product is a highly absorbent towel which is luxuriously soft.

Sakizarashi towels are also available, although the technique is not unique to the area. These unbleached towels are characterized by the colorful patterns of the woven fabrics. After weaving, adhesive is left on the fibers post-production, so their water absorbency is slightly inferior compared to atozarashi towels.

Currently, Senshu is researching methods of producing environmentally friendly towels. The Green Towel Club aims to find ways of making towels more eco-friendly, and to reduce chemicals currently used in production. By using a natural starch paste as adhesive, factories can generate clean wastewater that can be returned to rivers without harming their valuable ecosystem.

One pioneering company producing more eco-friendly towels is Fukuroya Towel (established 1926). “I wondered if there was a way to utilize waste products to create finished products, and then realized that we could perhaps use local vegetables to create dyes” recalls the president of Fukuroya Towel. This thought was the beginning of a revitalization process, and led to the production of the Shizuku towel series, which use five locally sourced Senshu vegetables as dye. The five ingredients include the skin of mizunasu, which is a type of eggplant that can be eaten raw, to produce purple towels, while the flesh is used to create lighter green colors. Onions can produce a light brown color, and carrots are good for pastel orange towels. Cabbage is also used for light green colors, and basil is great for darker greens. No bleach or fabric softeners are used in the production of these towels—other chemicals that are used are done so in the smallest amounts possible. The towels may appear thin, but they have good water absorption and the colors are durable, which means it can be washed many times without it fading.