BUAISOU Indigo Coaster: Thumbs Up

‘Japan Blue’, or Japanese indigo, is inextricable from Japanese culture. The Japanese archipelago is surrounded by it; it’s hanging in every doorway and on everyone’s clothes.

Founded in 2012, indigo experts BUAISOU have already developed a cult following amongst sartorialists. Based in Tokushima, the original birthplace of Japanese indigo and the undisputed indigo capital of the world, everything is done on site at the BUAISOU farm. They’re a unique collective which not only cultivates and harvests indigo leaves but also does the actual dyeing and making, merging three distinct crafts. It’s farm to closet.

The indigo dye of BUAISOU uses a traditional technique called jigoku date (‘making hell’) from harvested sukumo indigo leaves, one of the world’s most complex dye production processes. The sukumo tradition makes Japanese indigo darker and more intense than anywhere in the world.

Fabric is dipped and redipped, then there is the magical moment when the cloth or yarn is finally pulled from the dyebath into the air. On emergence it is a yellowish green colour then, as it contacts the oxygen in the air, it gradually turns to the prized deep blue.

An incredible amount of thought goes into the details and craftsmanship of each and every piece, and we’re consistently amazed by the effort and skill which goes into these hand dyed fabrics.

These coasters have been indigo-dyed by BUAISOU using the katazome stencil technique onto a piece of raw ramie fabric. The reverse is stamped with the production year of the sukumo, a bit like the vintage of a fine wine.