Hi, it's Shohei.

Japan blue," as it is called overseas, is the color that symbolizes Japan.
As the color of sky changes from light blue of spring to the bright blue of summer, I am very attracted to the light, cool indigo dye.

Today, I would like to introduce KUON's indigo dye (Aizome) that is one of our standard technics.

Natural Indigo Dye

Indigo is widely known as the oldest dye first used in the world, and is said to have been introduced to Japan about 1,500 years ago.

In Japan, craftsmen called "aishi" carefully and painstakingly take the leaves, which are the source of the dye, and turn them into "sukumo" (source of indigo dye) over time. The process of making sukumo is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process that involves drying the picked indigo leaves and fermenting them for nearly six months.

The sukumo is then sent to a dyer, where it is further fermented until it is ready for dyeing. Again, it is a very time-consuming and labor-intensive process.

Such indigo dyeing is said to have been used during the samurai period, when people wore indigo-dyed underwear under their armor because of indigo's detoxifying and hemostatic effects.
As introduced in the FW21 collection, indigo dyeing spread among the common people during the Edo period. It was widely loved as a part of people's daily lives, from work clothes to bedding, due to political factors and its efficacy in repelling insects.

Charm of Natural Indigo Dyeing

The interesting and fascinating points about indigo-dyed items are that;
Enjoy the way the color blends in and the expression changes with repeated washing...
The unique unevenness of the color, which is only possible with natural dyeing, like a gradation...
The bite that occurs depending on the wearer, and so on...
It is a place where you can nurture it into a one-of-a-kind item as it changes over time.

Yes, indigo dyeing can dye a variety of materials, and leather items can also be dyed. (By the way, look forward to the arrival of indigo-dyed souvenir jacket from the FW2022 collection.)

Look at this indigo-dyed leather jacket!
Although the color has faded considerably, I often receive compliments from customers and friends.

Natural indigo dyeing has many other benefits that were useful in people's lives in the olden days, when there were not as many things as there are today.

Natural indigo dyeing has been handed down from the ancients to the present, and is called "Japan blue" by people overseas, but in fact, with the development of chemical dyes, natural indigo dyeing, which requires much time and effort, has become extremely rare.

Indigo Dyed products 

Regular Collar Shirt-AIZOME (Medium Indigo)

S/S Open Collar Shirt-AIZOME- (Medium Indigo)

In the SS22 signature line includes indigo dyeing on short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirts.

The long-sleeved shirt is made of organic cotton fabric, which is fluffy and rough, but also shiny and elegant.

The short-sleeved shirt is made of rayon crepe. While retaining the soft and drape feel of rayon, the uneven texture of the fabric is smooth, light, and cool to the touch.

This season, we offer three shades of color: Dark, Medium, and Light, and the shading when the three colors are arranged side by side shows the warmth of the craftsman's handiwork, and is very tasteful. I recommend Dark for those who want to grow slowly, Light for those who want to wear lighter colors from the beginning, and Medium for those who are unsure.

You can enjoy the natural gradation of the color because of the unevenness that only hand-dyeing can bring. Also, you can enjoy the way the uneven coloring blends in as you wear the garment, and the more you wear it, the more you will grow to love it.

Please take this opportunity to try our natural indigo dyeing.

Thank you!