Indigo Dyed Dress / Handcrafted Cotton

Product Description

Product Story

General Product Information

The Indigo Dyed Dress is a gem of a fusion of traditional and modern style. It is also an item that you will feel comfortable and naturally fit into every time you wear it.
The indigo dye used is a traditional Japanese dyeing technique using natural indigo, and is characterized by its deep and beautiful blue color.

This one-piece dress has a simple yet sophisticated design, making it a piece that can be easily matched to any occasion.

*It is a one-of-a-kind item.

 Product History

When did these crafts start to craft?：1500 years ago / 500AD / Asuka period in Japan

Indigo, used in indigo dyeing, is said to be the oldest dye known to mankind, according to one theory.
It was originally used as a blue dye in eastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and around the central Japanese archipelago, and was introduced to Japan from China via Korea in the Nara period (about 1,500 years ago).

Until the Heian period (794-1185), indigo was considered a noble color worn mainly by the court and upper class aristocrats, and many cloths are kept in Horyuji Temple and the Shosoin Repository.

The dark blue color of indigo, which is dyed so deeply that it appears black, was also considered auspicious and was used as the color for dyeing armor, and by the Kamakura period (1185-1333), the custom of warriors wearing indigo-dyed products was firmly established.
Since warfare could result in loss of life or even injury, it is likely that they wore indigo-dyed underwear, which was believed to have sterilizing and hemostatic effects to prevent wounds from festering.

It was not until the Edo period (1603-1867) that indigo-dyed products became popular among the general public.
Because the common people of the Edo period were forbidden to be extravagant, and because of the mass production of cotton yarn, indigo-dyed products were widely produced for everything from kimonos and work clothes to noren and nobori (streamers), as well as everyday sundries.

"JAPAN BLUE".
Robert William Atkinson, an English chemist who came to Japan at the beginning of the Meiji era (1868-1912), praised the indigo color found everywhere in the city, calling it "Japan blue. The term "Japan Blue," which has become the team color of the Japanese national soccer team, has its roots in the early Meiji period.

Craftsman Story

Craftsman Profile

Toru Shimomura
We produce our products using only natural indigo dyes without chemicals, sourcing domestically produced indigo as the raw material.
The indigo dyeing is a traditional technique that has existed since ancient times, and the tradition is still being preserved today. Aizome (Indigo Dye) is handmade without using any chemical agents. Please experience its beautiful colors.

 

Craftsman Passion

"Preserving the beautiful blue of Japan and passing it on to the future"
Indigo has been used in Japan since the Asuka Period.
We are fascinated by the beautiful indigo color that has been used by countless people throughout Japan's history, and we are committed to preserving this traditional dyeing method and passing it on to the future through modern fashion and interior design.

 

Your Contribution to Craftsman

Customer Voice

Due to the market structure (link for full articles are attached bottom), craftsman have not known who the customer is and how customer reacts to their work. We made a “Message to Craftsman” box at purchase page. We will deliver all message to every craftsman. Our review will be also shared to craftsman so please leave your comment and evaluation on review section!

Income for Craftsman: Craftsman get only less than 10% of selling price?

As written above, craftsman have not controlled last phase of sales channel that resulting in selling price is set by third-party without craftsman’s recognition. There are some cases that only less than 10% of selling price is given to craftsman. We promise with our customer / craftsman that we offer the fair trade with craftsmen in our contract!

We made an article about above problem and our challenge. Please have a read from below link.
Current state of the Crafts Market / Benefits brought by Suigenkyo

Measurement

Recommended for people over 170 cm in height.

Material

Cotton