While indigo dyeing started as an entirely organic technique that didn’t rely on additives and chemicals, the fundamentals of the process changed substantially during the Meiji Period (1868-1912), the age of industrial revolution in Japan that followed the Edo Period. Commitment to Original and Non Harmful Techniques The master also notes that the thread and the fabric become 50% stronger when dyed with the traditional indigo dyeing technique. The dye is extracted from the indigo plant, which, as the master notes, is a popular ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. A technique, which was originally praised for the bright and sharp colors that it produces, has – as the time passed – also been recognized for its insect repellent and even deodorizing quality. Referred to in Japanese as “aizome”, indigo dyeing is an old traditional technique that became particularly popular during the Edo Period (1603-1867). Indigo Dyeing – a Technique That Became Popular During the Edo Period Shortly after its establishment, the second-generation members of the family moved the atelier to its current location in Gotemba. Their atelier was initially founded in Matsumoto City in Nagano Prefecture in 1861 towards the end of the Edo Period. Seeing the drawings produced by the master’s grandkids on the walls ensures me that I am indeed here for a more intimate and special craft experience.īefore trying my hand at the entirely manual dyeing process, we sit around a wooden table where the master explains the history of his studio and the techniques that they use, which make the indigo dyeing practiced here special. I feel like I am being invited into the private studio of an artist to experience the process rather than being part of a more mainstream or commercialized experience. While I had experienced indigo dyeing in Japan before, right from the start, this experience feels different. The master, with a heartwarming smile, leads me into his cozy atelier. Rather than an industrial or a business building, this feels like a home. ©Burcu Basar An Indigo Dyeing Atelier as Old as 160 YearsĪfter a pleasant 10-minute walk from the train station, I arrive at Koharaya and am greeted by the master at the door. How to Book the Japan Blue Indigo Dyeing Experience.Time to Try My Hands on the Indigo Dyeing Process.Commitment to Original and Non Harmful Techniques.Indigo Dyeing – a Technique That Became Popular During the Edo Period.An Indigo Dyeing Atelier as Old as 160 Years.Fuji! Enjoy the best local cheap eats and shopping! How to walk around the hometown of Mt. ![]() A trip to experience the local cuisine and unexplored areas of the western part of the prefecture.Fuji while taking in the local cuisine and activities! Enjoy a trip around the foothills of Mt.Enjoy a journey to be healed by the natural scenery while touring around the Izu Peninsula!.Learn about the profound appeal of Mt.This is particularly useful for those who wish to make an indigo vat without strong chemicals. Each purchase of this indigo helps support small scale agriculture.Ĭheck out our how to guide for information on creating a natural indigo vat using fructose powder (fruit sugar) and calcium hydroxide (lime). Only small producers grow and harvest this indigo. In addition, the indigo is very pure and potent. Therefore you will produce deep colors with fewer dips. Our indigo is 45-48% indigotin, which is 2 to 3 times stronger than other indigo on the market. Our organic indigo extract is Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified. Soon after, cultivation acreage plummeted and within 20 years, only a fraction of the indigo used worldwide was from natural sources. Shortly after, the world indigo market collapsed as manufacturers switched to the new miracle synthetic dye. ![]() The color was synthesized around 1880 by Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Adolf von Baeyer. Indigo was used to dye shrouds for Egyptian burials, uniforms for Napoleon’s Army and has also been used to dye prestige cloth for African chiefs and denim for blue jeans. Additionally, it is present in Strobilanthes cusia, a distant cousin to the ornamental Persian Shield that you can buy at Home Depot. Its colorant is present in other plants including woad ( Isatis tinctoria) and Japanese indigo ( Persicaria tinctoria), a buckwheat. It is one of the oldest dyes known to humankind. ![]() Organic indigo is a powder from the leaves of the indigo plant called Indigofera tinctoria.
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