Japan’s kusaki-zome plant dyeing revives in slow fashion

When buying clothes, you may look for something that can be worn for many years. Clothing colored by Japanese traditional plant dyeing, “kusaki-zome,” may be just what you are looking for! Kusaki-zome is now attracting attention again in the fashion field since it is eco-friendly and skin-friendly. It also can express richer colors and a more rustic look than chemical dyes can produce.

Japanese plant dyeing technique has improved, now also helps to upcycle food waste

Many people may think that plant dying is prone to color fading, uneven dyeing and unstable coloration. Most modern fashion brands employ chemical dying for mass production to maintain a consistent appearance and level of quality.

To solve these problems, Murata Dyeing, a dyeing and processing company in Kyoto Prefecture, has started creating innovative techniques for plant dyeing. They believe that scientific data can help tackle these problems. They reached this conclusion after noticing that a pair of plant-dyed socks in an exhibition had retained their bright red color for over 1,200 years.

A year and a half later, they pioneered unique plant dyeing techniques striving to match this incredible durability. Murata Dyeing has also started researching a dyeing method that upcycles food waste such as vegetable scraps.

Futashiba248 supports local farmers by upcycling agricultural waste

Futashiba248 is a slow fashion brand that dyes clothes with agricultural wastes from local farmers in Ibaraki Prefecture. You can order a base plain-colored clothing item and have it dyed in any color you like from a list of colors at the time of order.

Futashiba248 supports reducing the financial burden on farmers and motivating them by introducing a new market for their produce through upcycling agricultural waste.

In addition to dyeing, they select materials with minimal environmental impacts, such as organic cotton and Japanese paper called “washi.” They are also working to reduce resource loss by incorporating made-to-order production and genderless designs and sizes.

From December 2021, Futashiba248 is expanding its color range and taking on the challenge of dyeing objects other than fabrics, such as paper, wood and ceramics. We look forward to seeing what other products they will introduce in the near future.

Welcoming a sustainable favorite into your wardrobe

Futashiba248 creates earth-friendly and people-friendly clothes while addressing local problems. In Japan, where the decline of local industries is becoming a huge issue, brands like this will lead the way in promoting sustainable fashion and a greener society. The number of these circular fashion brands is increasing. Consider adding a new favorite piece to your wardrobe while protecting local industries and the environment at the same time!