New, Reviews and Buzz around NukuNuku and our Haramakis.....
January 31st, 2012
Haramaki was the name originally given to a form of
abdominal armour, wrapped around the body by the ancient Samurai
warriors, they protected the warriors from harm and kept the warriors
warm, fighting in the cold mountains of Northern Japan. These same
warriors noted a remarkable improvement in their health after wearing
the armour for some time. The Japanese soon developed a much more
comfortable Haramaki, worn commonly today for health and warmth. It is
difficult to argue with the benefits of such an ancient tradition! Tests
have also shown that if the abdomen and back are kept warm, the whole
body increases in temperature. (see heat pic). The concept of wearing
Haramaki was also recommended in the Mail on Sunday’s You magazine in
September of 2011.
Apart from being a necessary Japanese wardrobe accessory, Haramakis are now made in Brighton by a local manufacturer, nukunuku,
and are great for ostomate wear. Not only do they disguise the bag,
they provide both support and gentle stomal hernia protection.
On the websites: www.bellybandsrus.co.uk, and www.nukunuku.co.uk you
can choose from a variety of colours, materials and sizes available in
both adult and children’s styles and sizes. Wearing Nukunuku’s
haramakis over time, you will find that they wash well and keep their
elasticity. Of course, haramaki’s are mainly for warmth and do a great
job of filling the gap between tops and trousers/skirts. They are also
worn as maternity bands supporting the “bump”, fantastic for outdoor
sports people, especially runners and cyclists. There is also a special
offer and competition to win a Haramaki on www.laterlife.co.uk (an excellent site with loads of special offers for over 50s).
We are also very grateful to Nukunuku who has kindly donated fabric for the Gastronaut’s own belly bands!!!
9th December
Laura of All the All Tall Things came up with this brilliant line in her blog today.....
It's Fridaaaaaay! Time to get waisted.
Top won't stretch far enough? Maybe you need a Haramaki.
No, I'm not drunk already. Haramaki is a Japanese word that
translates as belly (hara) wrap (maki) - a band of material wrapped
around your middle. Worn originally by Japanese Samurai warriors, these
handy little elasticated waistbands are now enjoying something of a
renaissance. When the lovely Catherine of UK supplier Nukunuku
got in touch to tell me about them, I decided I had to give one a
whirl. (Nukunuku means "warm and cosy". Cute or what? Just saying the
word makes me feel snug). Apparently they're quite popular amongst her
tall customers, who can never seem to get their t-shirts to meet their
jeans. Sigh. Been there.
Haramki, Nukunuku £14
They're useful for layering under a shrunken top… as if clothes
weren't short enough to start with, my washing machine is always
determined to make things even shorter. If you're pregnant, slip one of
these over the top of your Topshop skinnies and no one will guess that
your flies have been undone for the past nine months. They're also
perfect for hiding that mince-pie and mulled-wine induced muffin top. Me
likey.
Pre Haramki
Post Haramki -- warmer and at no risk of legging-induced camel-toe
6th December
Laura of Keeping Healthy Getting Stylish reviews our Haramakis....
Hi everyone, hope your having a good week! I'm very excited to be reviewing a really unusual product for you today. I was contacted by NukuNuku to see if I would like to try out a Haramaki. Of course I had no idea what a Haramaki was so I looked on the website and was intrigued!
A Haramaki
(translated as 'belly wrap' in Japanese) is a band of material that you
wear around your waist. The wraps are popular in Japan having first
been worn by Samurai under their armour. It is claimed that wearing a
Haramaki can help to spread warmth through your body from your core, aid
digestion and relieve menstrual cramps as well as being a practical
piece of clothing useful for avoiding 'builders bum' syndrome, keeping
you covered while practicing yoga or gardening and of course it would be
useful for supporting the belly during pregnancy.
As someone who really feels the cold and suffers from poor circulation I was interested to see if it could help me stay warm.
I was sent a basic blue Haramaki
to try out. I received the small size which fitted me comfortably,
however I would have preferred it to be a little tighter and more snug
so I would chose the XS size in future (for reference I have a 27 inch
waist and 33 inch hips)
I
wore the Haramaki under my clothing as shown in the images. I wasn't
sure how comfortable it would be but after the first day I was hooked! I
wore it every day until I realised I really should wash it!
I
found that it made me feel 'snug' and nicely supported. It worked
especially well under tighter fitting trousers as a layer between them
and my skin and gave a nice clean line under my clothing. I'm not sure
to what extent it improved my circulation but it really did make me feel
snug and warm, even more than if I was wearing a vest top. In fact this
would be perfect for wearing instead of a vest to keep warm if you were
going out and wearing a strapless top or something with an unusual
neckline. It would also act in a similar way to shaping under ware if
you got a suitable size that pulled you in!
It
did remind me a bit of the 'girdles' my Nana used to wear and the
infamous 'Bridget Jones' pants - but a lot more stylish of course! The website has a range of different colours and sizes of Haramaki in stock. A Haramaki costs £14 and postage within the UK is just £1.
I
have to say I was sceptical at first but I have been completely won
over. I actually missed wearing it today while it was in the wash! I
think £14 is a pretty reasonable cost when you compare it to other good
quality under ware and vests, and the cheap shipping is excellent too.
I
think these would make really unique and unusual Christmas gifts for
someone open minded who suffers from the cold! I also think a Haramaki
could be good for people who have loose skin on their stomach from
weight loss or pregnancy - I have some loose skin and I felt really well
supported and comfortable.
I know I'll be wearing this a lot, especially once I start spending more time down the allotment on my knees planting veggies!
5th December 2011
James Gisby, Acupuncturist looks at the Traditional Chinese Medicine reasons to keep your Dan Tien Energy Centre and Tummy wrapped up....
9 Reasons to wear a haramaki....
Hara
In Japan this energetic area of the dan tian is called the hara. Zen
Buddhists might use the hara as a place to focus attention during zazen
(zen meditation) and the samurai cultivated his hara for strength of
body, mind and spirit. I recently came across a traditional Japanese
piece of clothing, worn around the hara, called a haramaki. The
haramaki is currently enjoying a resurgence in Japan and has just
started to be sold here in the UK at www.NuKuNuku.co.uk. Founder Catherine Brown discovered the haramaki whilst living in Japan. The haramaki is held to have the following benefits:
- Keeping the hara warm keeps the whole body warm
- Eases menstrual cramps
- May aid digestion and blood circulation
- Adds an interesting layer to your clothes and keeps you warm without bulky layers
- Provides coverage during activities such as yoga and cycling
- Covers the above-mentioned muffin top (exposed midriff)
- Hides builders bum
- Offers warmth and support in pregnancy
- Helps breast-feeding mum's limit exposure when lifting tops.
I've been wearing a haramaki for the last week. It fits
unobtrusively under clothing and can be worn by both men and women, even
in pregnancy. I found it to be surprisingly comfortable, giving a nice
warm feeling over the low abdomen, reminding me of the awareness and
warmth of the dan tian I used to have when I practiced a lot of tai chi
and qigong. I walk a lot and, with our first wintry weather, found it
to be a welcome extra layer of clothing. I used to have an eccentric
great-uncle who cut the arms off all of his shirts and jumpers. I seem
to have inherited some of his clothes claustrophobia, preferring to buy
short sleeved shirts. I find a vest too constrictive and the haramaki
to be preferable. My only worry with it is having to explain it at A
and E if I have some sort of accident, but other than that, I can warmly
recommend the haramaki.
