What is indigo dyeing?

The English term "indigo dyed" actually covers two different methods: natural indigo dyeing and synthetic indigo dyeing. Natural indigo dyeing, a traditional Japanese technique, uses a plant called ai (indigo)—most commonly tadeai, a member of the Polygonaceae family. Because it begins with a plant, the process requires time across cultivation and preparation, and color stability and dyeing technique are highly demanding. Through long hours of skilled craftsmanship, the dye sets deeply and develops the unique character of natural pigments. Synthetic indigo dyeing uses an artificial dye that is easier to control and produces a more uniform color. At BLUE BLUE JAPAN, even synthetic indigo dyeing is done entirely by hand, one piece at a time, letting our craftspeople bring out a depth of texture and color that no machine can.