The dye (sukumo), made by fermenting indigo leaves for 100 days, is dissolved in hardwood lye and fermented in a large jar for many days together with bran, sweet potato, lime, lye, and sake, and then dyed over and over again in the liquid.
This technique, called "natural lye-fermentation and aizome," was invented so that indigo dyeing could be done all year round in Japan, which has four distinct seasons.
100日かけて藍葉を醗酵させた染料「（すくも）」を、堅木の灰汁で溶き、大きな甕に何日もかかり「(ふすま)」や「芋」、「石灰」、「灰汁(あく)」、「酒」と共に醗酵させ、その液中で幾度も染め重ねる。
「天然灰汁醗酵建藍染(てんねんあくはっこうだてあいぞめ)」という技法が、四季のある日本で、1年中藍染が出来るように考え出された。
This technique, called "natural lye-fermentation and aizome," was invented so that indigo dyeing could be done all year round in Japan, which has four distinct seasons.
藍に秘められた力を先人が長い年月をかけ、築き上げてきた循環社会の中でどう生かすことができるか日々研究を重ねる。