Aizenkobo
Indigo dying, known as Aizome is a labor of love using oxygen, water, bacteria, and constant turning of the fermented leaves. In some ways making indigo dye is like making sake, with a careful eye to fermentation and adjusting the temperature, like willing a cocoon to transform into a butterfly at just the right time.
Utsuki san the owner of Aizenkobo personally inspects the best indigo for his workshop. He tells me there used to be lots of indigo growers but now there are only five in Tokushima and one in Hyogo. The use of natural dyes gives stability and strength, but chemical production results fade over time. The natural dye doesn't mix with water so it doesn't wash away the color but actually improves over time. For cotton, the fabric needs to be dipped 100 times for the dye to reach the right color and quality, while it is 200 times for silk.
A story of renewal When I asked Utsuki san whether he has confidence in the future of indigo, his wife thought deeply and told ..