Japanese Indigo - Rich Hues with a Richer History

Indigo Dye has its story in many nations across the globe. Africa, China, India, America but probably most famously, Japan.  It’s the Hue of Blue that comes exactly to mind when you think of things such as Vintage Workwear, Denim Jeans, or in the artforms of Shibori.  It’s the colour that keeps getting better the more you wear it and we have some perfect examples of its use in store for our Autumn/Winter collections.
 
Indigo has been used in Japan for over a thousand years, making it’s way to the country from India and China via the Silk Road.  Some of it’s earliest uses were in workwear: Japanese farmers would dye their Jackets and Trousers in Indigo as it was cheap to use, it took to the cotton they used well, and the distinct smell it omitted was interestingly very effective at warding away insects/pests. These Jackets we have from *A VONTADE are made to be worn and worked in so that they will age much the same as those original work jackets in times gone by.
 

Natural Indigo has a distinct property - it fades and changes hues when it is worn and washed. This process is what makes Indigo so beloved when used for things like clothing or decoration, as it will age with the owner and become something beautifully unique in time.  This is particularly true in Denim communities - going to extra lengths in order to age their Jeans in certain ways. All of the Denim we currently have in store is created using the traditional Japanese method, with Natural Indigo Yarns.

 

Nowadays Indigo is still used prolifically throughout the world and is more relevant than ever,  being a completely natural dye process. We love it so much here at Sunnysiders and knowing you guys we’re sure you do too!  The aging process of Garments is such a fun part of great menswear and the process of Natural Indigo just highlights this more than anything. Swing by and show us if you yourself have anything Indigo Dyed or if you’d like to start the journey yourself, feel free to browse our Indigo selection pick something up yourself!

Tom,

Team SUNNYSIDERS

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