Inside collar sewn on Juban (襦袢, under garment for Kimono) is called Han-eri (半襟, half length collar). It is called so because of its length approximately a half of outer Kimono. The purpose of wearing Han-eri is to prevent stains, such as hair wax or sebum. When it gets dirty, it will be removed and washed to be reused.
In the past, Han-eri were mostly colored and patterned. Some gorgeous Shishu-eri (刺繍衿, han-eri with embroideries) cost even more than a couple of thousands dollars. In the Showa (昭和) era, during which Kimono became a special outfit and was no longer worn as everyday casual clothes, plain white Han-eri became the standard. Nowadays, along with the retro boom, various kinds of colored and patterned Han-eri are gaining popularity again.
