Welcome!
Hori's Japan Blue is a small hand-dye studio located in Queens, New York. The blue dyeing process is done using natural indigo which is extracted from the plant “Indigofera Tinctoria” cultivated in India.
The dark blue indigo powder is reduced in an alkaline solution of dissolved lime, using the enzymatic power of madder roots and wheat bran, preparing it for dyeing. If necessary, Japanese Sake is also added to aid the fermentation process.
Women
Shibori(tie dye) goes around all sides, so cool and unique patern comes out.
Shibori(tie dye) goes around all sides, so cool and unique patern comes out.
Three rolling up tie dyes are scattered. One of the best selling!
Inspired Arashi Shibori technique inovated by Mr. Kinzou Suzuki in 1879.
This patern needs prenty amount of experience to make beautiful cloud.
Nature
Indigo dye blue is known as the color of blue jeans. The blue is something specific to human beings. The sky… The sea…
I was using strong chemicals which make the dye process much easier and faster. But my asthma seriously became worse because of chemical reaction vapors.
Then I started natural indigo dye method using all natural materials and a process which is more complicated, more difficult, and much more time consuming. To be ready to dye, chemicals take 1 hour. But natural process takes 7 to 10 days and even costs more.
This method, a natural fermentation process using bacteria and enzymes like sake, cheese and bread makes ”reduction” possible . To keep the bacteria and enzymes alive, I have to adjust and regulate the indigo vat environment every day such as temperature, pH and food (they eat!).
After a few years of trial and error, I have perfected this method and my indigo vats have became stable to dye, also my body and mind are quite fine too, even better with this traditional dye method.