Indigo dyeing was practiced and a color known as indigo blue or Japan blue was extracted from varieties of plants with indigo pigment in many parts of the World through distinct methods. In Japan, the color is acquired through a natural process of fermentation and oxidation from a plant called Polygonum tinctorium.
First, the leaves are separated from the stems and left for about 4 months until becoming leaf soil, then mixed with water, charcoal lye, sake (Japanese rice wine) and wheat bran, which you can imagine looks just like oatmeal.
At the controlled temperature of 25C, it is left for further fermentation. The indigo blue dye has the color rather closer to brown. An indigo dye artisan knows if the dye has the right alkaline pH and ready by just looking at it! Then soaking in the dye and exposing to the air for are repeated for an average of 5 to 6 times, even more than 10 times for darker color. It is when the dye is exposed to the air that the beautiful indigo blue appears gradually.
Related Articles:
Japanese Indigo Dye--Indigo Blue is Bluer than Indigo
Japanese Indigo Dye--Indigo In the Making
Japanese Indigo Dye--The Clothes Dyed Indigo
1 comment:
The colors are lovely. I always like innovations when they come from Japan. They were always concise and and efficient.
Post a Comment