History of Awa Ai
Awa Ai (Traditional dyeing technique practiced continuously for around 600 years)
Awa is the old region name in Tokushima, where ai production started around the 5th century. The Awa Ai brand was a fixture of high quality Indigo dye by the 17th century, and even today Tokushima is still responsible for the production of the ai.
In Tokushima where the ai (Japanese indigo blue) is produced, there are farmers who have been cultivating the ai for generations. Also, there are craftsmen called Ai-shi (indigo master) who converts the cultivated ai to dying materials, and workshops to dye the fabrics. While valuing the natural features of the region, the entirety of the integrated process of natural dyeing handicraft called Ai-zome (natural plant indigo dye) can be processed in this region.
Ai-zome leather is produced by immersing natural leather into the ai dyeing liquid many times with natural-plant-indigo-dye technique, and hand-dyeing one by one carefully. The depth of color, variances, and clear color are expressed in the leather as features of Ai-zome, which is “JAPAN BLUE LEATHER.”
----About TAKUMI NEXT project-----
JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) and METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) launched the project ""Takumi Next"" to support Japanese craftsman to expand their markets abroad. This project involves Japanese producers who excel at the art of creation utilizing the local resources such as crafts, traditional products, and household goods that will lead the next generation of Japan.
To Overseas Buyers, please visit our project page to know more!
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