It was first designed to protect kimono while one was doing the housework, with its sleeve size and a sleeve length being big enough to put the tamoto (sleeve pouch) of kimono in, and with its mitake (length of clothing) generally hanging to the height of knees (the mitake of some kappogi is as long as kimono.)
家事労働の際に着物を保護するために考案されたもので、着物の袂が納まる程度の袖幅（袖の太さ）と袖丈（袖の長さ）であり、おおむね身丈は膝まである（着物並みの身丈の割烹着もある）。