Value Village ／ Clothing
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Vacuum storage bags (圧縮袋, asshuku-bukuro), which you flatten with a vacuum cleaner or by rolling, have long been a fixture in Japan's small homes because they free up space in the oshiire (押し入れ, the deep built-in closet). But they also cause plenty of grief: "My down futon never fluffed back up", "My down jacket is flat", "Six months later: creases and mould". What can go in depends on the material and how long it stays there.
| Item | Compress? | Reason and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Polyester-fibre futons and blankets | Yes | Recover well. Take out and air within 6 months |
| Cotton clothing (T-shirts, sweatshirts) | Yes | Will crease. Air or iron after taking out |
| Down futons | Avoid, or squeeze out only a little air | The barbs of the down break and the loft (warmth) does not return. The Japan Down Products Cooperative Association also advises against heavy compression |
| Down jackets | Avoid | As above. Store in a roomy non-woven cover instead |
| Wool and cashmere knits | Avoid, or short-term only | Broken fibres and creases; moth repellents work differently in a sealed bag |
| Leather and synthetic leather | No | Fold marks, cracking, surface damage |
| Memory foam and urethane products | No | Do not recover; the material breaks down |
| Anything damp or unwashed | No | Seals in mould and smells and lets them grow |
[Verify] Check the Japan Down Products Cooperative Association's position on compressing down products. The "suitable for vacuum bags" labelling of moth repellents follows the individual makers' explanations.
The barbs break and the loft (warmth) does not return. Do not compress a down futon, or squeeze out only a little air, and take it out within 6 months.
Trap moisture inside and mould grows in there. Everything must be completely dry before it goes in. The seal is not perfect either: air gets in within months.
Most repellents do not work as designed in a sealed space. Use a product labelled for vacuum bags and follow its instructions.
Fibres break, creases set hard and the bag splits more easily. Stop at about one third.
Take it out and air it once every six months. Creases, smells and mould all scale with how long it is left.
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https://www.jdfa.or.jp/
https://www.kokusen.go.jp/
https://www.jsia.or.jp/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Follow the care label and the maker's instructions for any garment, shoe or bag. For expensive or sentimental items, ask a specialist cleaner or repairer.
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