18/09/2024
We have a small Exhibition corner of hon-ai in Ubud shop now.
Indigo dyeing or dyeing materials made in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, are called 本藍 Hon-ai.
The characteristic of Hon-ai dyeing is that, unlike Indoai and Ryukyuai, which are the same natural indigo raw materials, the cut leaves are fermented to make "Sukumo".
When making "Sukumo", various plant-derived ingredients are also fermented, so it has insect repellent and antibacterial properties. It is also said that the colors dyed with this genuine indigo hardly fade even when washed. The main difference between Hon-ai and indigo is the dye.
While indigo dyeing uses natural dyes produced from plants, indigo dyeing uses synthetic dyes (indigo) artificially made using chemicals.
Traditional indigo dyeing requires time and high technical skills, but indigo is characterized by being inexpensive and easy to dye. Hon-ai is more than anything else attractive for its transparent color and unique vivid blue.
Mutsuko Sasaki is one of the Japanese artists who dyes with this genuine indigo, and has a studio in Aichi Prefecture. 1st photo is her bold style piece made Shibori 絞りTie-dye.
