Dialogue - COSMIC WONDER [Part 2] -

Indigo leaves are fermented for 100 days to produce "sukumo," the raw material for indigo dyeing. "Konya" was a term used to refer to dye shops in the Edo period.

The indigo field is an astounding seven tan in size, and begins with soil preparation. Indigo is grown naturally, sukumo is made, and work is completed throughout the four seasons before the indigo dyeing process is finally complete.

Fermentation creates unique colors

Indigo dye is made only from "sukumo" made from indigo plants and "lye" from broadleaf trees. Japanese plant-derived indigo dye has a low indigo content of only 3-4%, and the fermentation process is time-consuming and requires delicate handwork.
"When it comes to indigo dyeing, even if various chemicals are added along the way, it can still be called 'natural indigo' because the raw material is actually a plant. But we don't want to do that."

Although indigo dyeing is a general term, there are probably many people who don't know much about the actual steps involved.

Konya Jin uses a dyeing process called "hontate shoai someme" (true indigo dyeing), which does not use any chemicals and only uses ingredients found in nature.
During World War II, cultivation of indigo in Japan was banned by national policy because it was used to increase food production. Indigo dyeing was gradually replaced by chemical and synthetic dyes as the era of mass consumption took hold. Currently, there are only a few indigo dyers in the country, including Konya Jin, who grow indigo without pesticides.
The term "true indigo dyeing" is used to distinguish it from so-called "indigo dyeing."

Indigo dyeing refers to anything dyed with indigo. Whether the raw material is synthetic indigo made from coal or chemically produced, anything that uses indigo as the raw material is indigo dyeing.

"Sei-ai dyeing" refers to the traditional indigo dyeing method, in which "sukumo" is fermented with "lye".

A distinctive feature of this process is that it does not contain sugars (sake, honey, etc.) and is produced by fermentation of microorganisms without reducing the dye.

The result is beautiful colors that are less likely to fade or transfer.

The difficulty of dyeing living things

The indigo dyeing process, in which indigo, which is insoluble in water, is transformed so that it becomes soluble, to create the dye liquid. The fermented indigo leaves, called "sukumo", are naturally fermented in "hontate" using "lye" made from wood ash from burning hardwood (hardwood such as oak and sawtooth oak). The colors and appearance are like a microcosm.
When we hear about the indigo dyeing process, which begins with soil preparation, it is not hard to imagine how much time and trial and error must have gone into producing such precise handiwork.

Subtle differences in color, the way the plants grow from year to year, the differences in the water and air on the day the work is made... Nature changes every day, and there are no definitive recipes like there are for synthetic dyes.

Where does the passion to venture into an unknown world and grasp its depths come from, to patiently and repeatedly test the plants, the earth, and my own senses one by one?

"No matter how many times I try, it's difficult to get the same color. It doesn't always listen to what I tell it to do. But that's what makes it fun. Because I think there is still a lot of room for improvement."

"Because we don't use any chemicals, the indigo dye liquid can be returned to the soil after it has served its purpose." The used liquid can be diluted and spread on fields to repel insects and protect against UV rays. The indigo dye itself, made using the Hontate Sho-indigo method, has a long history of being an indispensable part of people's lives, with antibacterial properties, strengthening fabric and protecting against UV rays.

Something that makes you instinctively want to touch it

The "COSMIC WONDER Usuhanasome Exhibition" will be held from Saturday, May 1st.

The current exhibition features works made from hemp, silk, and organic cotton that are lightly patterned after the clothing of “COSMIC WONDER ‘Days of light’”.

Each dyeing technique is based on a deep and ancient tradition. Preserving traditional handicrafts in the present day comes from our desire to protect Japanese craftsmanship, nurture quality products, and pass them on to the future.

Through the clothing of "COSMIC WONDER," we hope you will experience the power of rare handicrafts that have been handed down through the generations and the colors of nature.