How to Do Real-Deal Indigo Denim Dyeing the Japanese Way Inline
Photo: Matthew Foley / @mjfiii1/9Farm to closet: Here we are planning how we want to dye each style and looking at the various indigo types. These glass jars have the magic ingredients for composting the indigo leaves into sukumo, the dye. Sukumo is fermented in ash lye, wheat bran, and calcium hydroxide and poured into a so-called hell vat, where the magic happens. (And yes, it smells like hell!)
Photo: Matthew Foley / @mjfiii2/9I am deciding how to do both jean styles. I decided that the skinnier Odette fit would look best with an even dip-dye, creating sort of a cuff-like illusion on the bottom of the jean. The more relaxed Remy fit could handle more playfulness without looking weird on the body, so I did a tie-dye from the knee down.
Photo: Matthew Foley / @mjfiii3/9The Remys are tied in knots and dipped two separate times in the indigo vat. The “massaging” (for lack of a better word) of the knots is what determines the dye result.
Photo: Matthew Foley / @mjfiii4/9Anything dyed in the 100 percent natural vat turns that incredibly deep and beautiful “Japan blue.” The indigo dye has a property that keeps it from transferring onto other white garments.
Photo: Matthew Foley / @mjfiii5/9While indigo dye miraculously does not bleed onto like fabrics, it certainly stained me! I was dunked in indigo dye when I went to Levi’s Eureka Innovation Lab out in San Francisco about a year ago and had indigo blue hair for a moment, too. I think I would be addicted to it if it didn’t smell like eggs. Sayaka and Yuki gave me this hemp bracelet that they dyed in the sukumo indigo vat. They had me make a wish and told me that when it eventually falls off, my wish will come true.
