One of the characteristics of natural indigo blue dyed items is long-term color resistance as well as robustness. However, by wearing and washing repeatedly, though it may happen unnoticeably, it certainly gets worn out and loses its color. Yet the difference between the synthetic dyes and plant dyes like natural indigo blue dye is that although it may leave colors in washing water, it rarely leaves stains on other items. And although that tends to happen the first few times items are washed, stains can be easily washed off with soap.
As organic indigo-blue is from plants, their products should not be washed with alkaline synthetic detergent with surface-activating agent; lye from wood ash as used before is best suited to maintain its quality. In terms of reducing the ecological footprint of the product life cycle, indigo-blue products are thoroughly designed for the “use” and “waste” stages.
“There is no other cloth like it. It does not lose color or wear out,” says the plant manager with a smile. With the time spent by repeatedly using a traditional craft like an indigo-blue dyed cloth, it adds charm. Aging for such product means accumulated beauty.
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
February 22, 2010
Japanese Indigo Dye--Indigo Blue in the Making
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
Japanese Indigo Dye--Indigo Blue Is Bluer than Indigo
“Indigo blue is bluer than indigo” is a Japanese saying meaning that education and unstinting efforts are very important for one’s success, making an analogy to a long, difficult process involved to create indigo blue dye from indigo plants.
Mr. Murata is the third generation owner of a dye factory and also the founder of Kosoen Studio specialized in traditional indigo dyeing. While the color Indigo blue and even similar color shadings can be easily and cost-efficiently obtained with synthetic dye, Kosoen Studio chooses to adhere to a traditional, rather complicated method to express the hidden colors of indigo plants, which Murata explains as “the ultimate ecological way.”
This is the entrance of Studio Kosoen. Ome has flourished once through textile production. Yet Studio Kosoen is one of a few companies left in the area, which still runs businesses in textile industry.
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
Mr. Murata is the third generation owner of a dye factory and also the founder of Kosoen Studio specialized in traditional indigo dyeing. While the color Indigo blue and even similar color shadings can be easily and cost-efficiently obtained with synthetic dye, Kosoen Studio chooses to adhere to a traditional, rather complicated method to express the hidden colors of indigo plants, which Murata explains as “the ultimate ecological way.”
This is the entrance of Studio Kosoen. Ome has flourished once through textile production. Yet Studio Kosoen is one of a few companies left in the area, which still runs businesses in textile industry.
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
August 19, 2009
Kawasaki City, Kanagawa and Denmark have one thing in common: their endeavors to be more environmentally friendly. While Kawasaki is active in answeri
Kawasaki City, Kanagawa and Denmark have one thing in common: their endeavors to be more environmentally friendly. While Kawasaki is active in answering to the Green New Deal, Denmark with its top-level wind-powered electric generators is holding the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP15 at the end of this year. The forum stresses only on the cooperation between Kawasaki and Denmark but also among the eco-friendly firms of both parties.
It will includes a speeches on A More Environmentally Friendly Japan by the ambassador of Denmark to Japan Franz-Michael S. Mellbin and The Environmental Problems and the Japanese Industry by Urano Mitsuhito of Nichirei, a company involves in transportation of fresh food products. There will also be panel discussion on the environment from individuals of various industries.
The event is free and scheduled on August, 25 from 2 pm to 5 pm at the first floor of Kawasaki Institution of Industrial Promotion Hall. Those interested can also participate in the banquet afterwards for 2000 yen.
Applications are accepted via fax to ０４４－２００－３９２０ with the following information: your name, address, telephone number, workplace, whether you are participating in banquet. You can also apply online via this application form available in Japanese.
It will includes a speeches on A More Environmentally Friendly Japan by the ambassador of Denmark to Japan Franz-Michael S. Mellbin and The Environmental Problems and the Japanese Industry by Urano Mitsuhito of Nichirei, a company involves in transportation of fresh food products. There will also be panel discussion on the environment from individuals of various industries.
The event is free and scheduled on August, 25 from 2 pm to 5 pm at the first floor of Kawasaki Institution of Industrial Promotion Hall. Those interested can also participate in the banquet afterwards for 2000 yen.
Applications are accepted via fax to ０４４－２００－３９２０ with the following information: your name, address, telephone number, workplace, whether you are participating in banquet. You can also apply online via this application form available in Japanese.
August 12, 2009
Kawasaki and Africa?
Ambassadors and embassy staff from 23 African countries visited Kawasaki for an Eco-town Tour on July 29, 2009. The event was held by Kawasaki City and UNIDO.
They visited local companies with unique environmental technologies such as;petbottle recycling, water cleaning using bycicle power and paper recycling.
Many Japanese will associate Kawasaki with one of the four major industrial pollutions. The city has overcome the painful days through legal and technical effort, which they are willing to share with the rest of the world.
They will be holding a public exhibition on February 4th and 5th of 2010, introducing environmental technologies and products from Kawasaki.
July 26, 2009
Event on Aug 5th: Let's Wear Re-used KIMONO and Learn about Japanese Sustainable Ideas!
Surprise! 100 Eco Ideas Opening Ceremony
~Let's Wear Re-used KIMONO and Learn about Japanese Sustainable Ideas!~
You will be able to wear a KIMONO by yourself with the help of professional kimono teachers. We have reused kimonos of various size and colors ready, so everyone is welcome, not to mention small children! Kimonos are often passed on from mother to daughter to granddaugter, and also commonly re-used in Japan.
After getting dressed, we will move on to the main hall and dance a Japanese festival dance together. The Minister of Environment will be there as guest.
Time August 5th, 8:50am-11:30am
Place Takashimaya Department Store, Shinjuku
Please meet in front of the police station at 5-27-1 Sendagaya Shibuya-ku Tokyo
This is how it looks like:
http://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.jp/3/harajuku/pb/pb.htm#gyoenura
Map (sorry only in Japanese)↓
http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?hl=ja&q=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E6%B8%8B%E8%B0%B7%E5%8C%BA%E5%8D%83%E9%A7%84%E3%83%B6%E8%B0%B75-27-1&lr=&rlz=1R2GFRC_jaJP336&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=jp&ei=TQlrSsuDJI6IkQXRtvCfCw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1
It is in front of Takashimaya Department Store Meiji-street entrance, about 10 minutes walk from both Shinjuku Station South Exit or from Yoyogi Station.
Fee: Free
With Japanese to English Interpretation.
If you can't find your way or in case of cancelation, please call 080-1008-1283 (valid only on Aug 5).
How to apply
Please send the following information by email to: office@eco100.jp
*Name
*Email address
*Contact number
~Let's Wear Re-used KIMONO and Learn about Japanese Sustainable Ideas!~
You will be able to wear a KIMONO by yourself with the help of professional kimono teachers. We have reused kimonos of various size and colors ready, so everyone is welcome, not to mention small children! Kimonos are often passed on from mother to daughter to granddaugter, and also commonly re-used in Japan.
After getting dressed, we will move on to the main hall and dance a Japanese festival dance together. The Minister of Environment will be there as guest.
Time August 5th, 8:50am-11:30am
Place Takashimaya Department Store, Shinjuku
Please meet in front of the police station at 5-27-1 Sendagaya Shibuya-ku Tokyo
This is how it looks like:
http://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.jp/3/harajuku/pb/pb.htm#gyoenura
Map (sorry only in Japanese)↓
http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?hl=ja&q=%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E6%B8%8B%E8%B0%B7%E5%8C%BA%E5%8D%83%E9%A7%84%E3%83%B6%E8%B0%B75-27-1&lr=&rlz=1R2GFRC_jaJP336&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=jp&ei=TQlrSsuDJI6IkQXRtvCfCw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1
It is in front of Takashimaya Department Store Meiji-street entrance, about 10 minutes walk from both Shinjuku Station South Exit or from Yoyogi Station.
Fee: Free
With Japanese to English Interpretation.
If you can't find your way or in case of cancelation, please call 080-1008-1283 (valid only on Aug 5).
How to apply
Please send the following information by email to: office@eco100.jp
*Name
*Email address
*Contact number
May 13, 2009
WASHI, not just a paper 1
“Foreign papers are made to last for 100 years while traditional Japanese papers are for 1,000 years.” Most Japanese people these days don’t consider “foreign paper” as “foreign” any more, rather call it just “paper,” while differentiating Japanese traditional paper as WASHI (meaning "Japanese Paper") . WASHI seems to be something luxurious, special or not for daily use. At least this is how I felt about “WASHI” before.
“IRASHAIMASE!”
As soon as we went through the entrance of the headquarter building of OZU-SAN GYO Co., Ltd., located in Nihonbashi, bending down a bit under the NOREN, a lady stopped her hands and smiled at us, saying “Welcome.”
OZU SANGYO has been doing wholesale business of WASHI for over 350 years at the exact same place with the same technique and spirit. They not only keep the old spirit but also adapt to the new, reading and responding to the time when it lives. OZU SANGYO has been located in one of the most striving commercial areas in Tokyo since the EDO period (1603-1867). Some of our blog readers may have seen scenes of UKIYOE, Japanese woodblock print, that can easily bring us to feel daily moments of merchants’ towns back in time. There is a piece of UKIYOE left where you can spot the first shop of building of OZU-SANGYO!
Back in EDO period, given its strength, WASHI was used to manufacture a wide range of products, such as umbrellas, lanterns, cloths (kimono), dishes and so on. What surprised us the most was, while Mr. Kaneko showed us around in the museum of OZU SANGYO, the WASHI’s amazing characteristics to perpetuate SUMI (carbon) ink. Once it gets penetrated and dried thoroughly, it can hardly be blurred even when soaked with water.
In EDO town, there were fires frequently. Merchants could not lose their important business documents. What did they do? They threw those documents into wells. Once the fires were gone, they would pick up their documents from wells and dry them thoroughly. Magic! All the information was back.
WASHI was and still is made one by one with the hands of skilled craftsmen. According to Mr. Noguchi, in order for those small WASHI craftsmen to keep creating beautiful papers and not to lose their skills, OZU SANGYO is facing the challenge to have more and more people in and outside of Japan know about WASHI and its wonderful characteristics and potentials for our time.
In the next update, I would like to write how OZU SANGYO has evolved with WASHI, creating different products such as non-weaved fabrics, and where they are heading.
“IRASHAIMASE!”
As soon as we went through the entrance of the headquarter building of OZU-SAN GYO Co., Ltd., located in Nihonbashi, bending down a bit under the NOREN, a lady stopped her hands and smiled at us, saying “Welcome.”
OZU SANGYO has been doing wholesale business of WASHI for over 350 years at the exact same place with the same technique and spirit. They not only keep the old spirit but also adapt to the new, reading and responding to the time when it lives. OZU SANGYO has been located in one of the most striving commercial areas in Tokyo since the EDO period (1603-1867). Some of our blog readers may have seen scenes of UKIYOE, Japanese woodblock print, that can easily bring us to feel daily moments of merchants’ towns back in time. There is a piece of UKIYOE left where you can spot the first shop of building of OZU-SANGYO!
Back in EDO period, given its strength, WASHI was used to manufacture a wide range of products, such as umbrellas, lanterns, cloths (kimono), dishes and so on. What surprised us the most was, while Mr. Kaneko showed us around in the museum of OZU SANGYO, the WASHI’s amazing characteristics to perpetuate SUMI (carbon) ink. Once it gets penetrated and dried thoroughly, it can hardly be blurred even when soaked with water.
In EDO town, there were fires frequently. Merchants could not lose their important business documents. What did they do? They threw those documents into wells. Once the fires were gone, they would pick up their documents from wells and dry them thoroughly. Magic! All the information was back.
WASHI was and still is made one by one with the hands of skilled craftsmen. According to Mr. Noguchi, in order for those small WASHI craftsmen to keep creating beautiful papers and not to lose their skills, OZU SANGYO is facing the challenge to have more and more people in and outside of Japan know about WASHI and its wonderful characteristics and potentials for our time.
In the next update, I would like to write how OZU SANGYO has evolved with WASHI, creating different products such as non-weaved fabrics, and where they are heading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)