Experience indigo dyeing at " Konoito tsumugu 紡 " in Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

Okayama Prefecture Official Tourism Site

• Table of Contents
• What is "Konoito tsumugu 紡"?
• Indigo dyeing experience
• Introducing indigo dyeing tools
• "Café Tsumugu" where you can relax while you wait
• Apparel brand "Konoito tsumugu 紡"

What is "Konoito tsumugu 紡"?

Konoito tsumugu 紡, an apparel brand that produces indigo-dyed scarves and knitwear, renovated an old house and opened a directly managed store Konoito tsumugu 紡.

Indigo dyeing experience

I tried out the indigo dyeing experience here (reservations required)! You can choose from a bandana, a scarf, a T-shirt, or a tote bag. This time, I chose a simple course that was easy to make, with a T-shirt that can be worn with jeans in the coming season.

[Indigo dyeing experience]

Basic price: Bandana (3,300 yen), Stole (4,400 yen), T-shirt (5,500 yen), Tote bag (5,500 yen)

Experience time: Part 1 (10:30), Part 2 (14:00) *Only Part 1 is available on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays

Courses: Choose a design and make it easy (Simple course) / Create your own original design (Free course)

Basic fee + 1,000 yen (tax included) Number of people: 1 to 4

Decide the pattern of the aperture

After choosing the T-shirt, the next step was to decide on the pattern to be used. From among the ammonite-like "tie-dye," the "rubber and marble tie-dye" which uses rubber bands and marbles, and the "mottled dye," I chose "uneven dye."

Uneven dyeing

To do the "uneven dyeing," I tied the T-shirt tightly with a thick rubber band. The parts that are visible where the band is tied will be dyed, and the parts that are not visible will remain white. I tied each one while thinking of the design I wanted.

Collect the squeezed pieces into a lump

The rubber bands are tied together in two, then tied together again to make a single mass. I tied it pretty tightly. I can't imagine what the design will be like now. It just looks like a heart.

Introducing indigo dyeing tools

You can participate in the indigo dyeing experience empty-handed. Tools and aprons are provided so you don't have to worry. I wore a vinyl apron because the dye won't come off if it gets on my clothes.

Wear two layers of rubber gloves

I worked with thin rubber gloves on my hands and then larger rubber gloves on top of those.

Mixing the dyes

The dye used in indigo dyeing is the chemical caustic soda. The two containers contain the same caustic soda, which is added to 40 degree hot water and stirred (children are not allowed to handle chemicals). The difference with indigo dyeing is that indigo dyeing uses natural indigo leaves as the dye and is dyed repeatedly with lye, while indigo dyeing is a chemical dye that can be used to dye evenly in one go. Indigo dyeing has the property of dyeing at warm temperatures, so it is easier to dye in the summer and harder to dye in the winter. When mixing, bubbles will form in the bucket, but be careful not to crush these bubbles.

Knead

Submerge the T-shirt in the bucket, being careful not to crush the bubbles, and rub it with your hands. The film on top of the bubbles is green, and when it comes into contact with the air it oxidizes to blue, adhering to the fibers and dyeing them. Put your hands into the gaps between the tightly bound pieces to allow the dye to adhere. The water is warm and comfortable, but it has a unique scent. The trick is to rub the shirt in the liquid without exposing it to air!

Cut the rubber band with scissors

After pulling the T-shirt out of the bucket, the next step is to remove the moisture with a towel and then cut the rubber bands with scissors. It's a delicate job of cutting only the rubber bands so as not to cut the T-shirt. It's also important to make sure the dyed rubber bands don't fly away.

Wash and dry

After cutting the rubber bands, the T-shirts are hung outside for 1-2 minutes to allow the color to set. After that, they are washed and dried 5-6 times, and then hung out to dry for another 20 minutes. The staff at the store do this process for me, and while they are finishing up, I go to the cafe in the annex. It was a warm, spring day, and the T-shirts were fluttering in the breeze, looking very comfortable.

"Café Tsumugu" where you can relax while you wait

Across the terrace is the annex, a renovated old house called "Café Tsumugu." When the weather is nice, you can enjoy your time on the terrace. The specialty coffee is made with beans from Kinoshita Shoten, a popular coffee shop in Okayama Prefecture, and is brewed one cup at a time using an espresso machine.

Onigiri Lunch

I heard that the "Onigiri Lunch (1,200 yen)" was popular and available in limited quantities, so I decided to try it. The set of tuna mayonnaise and plum onigiri, omelette with lots of ingredients, pickles, and pork soup was delicious. The portion was just right for a woman. The rice was delicious, and the miso flavor of the pork soup was exquisite!

Strawberry roll cake

Dessert is another story. I heard that their specialty sweets are also popular, so I ordered the seasonal strawberry roll cake (979 yen)! The sponge was fluffy, and the sweet and sour strawberries and the sweetness of the fresh cream were a perfect match. The gelato was also delicious, and it seems to have been made with great care.

[Café Tsumugu]

Address: 10-3 Okayama Prefecture, Kurashiki City

TEL: 080-4558-0076

Business hours: 10:00-17:00 (last orders 16:30)

Closed: Tuesdays

Parking: None

Apparel brand "Konoito tsumugu 紡"

Usually, knitwear is made in parts and then sewn together at the end, but Konoito tsumugu 紡 uses a method called the Whole Garment method, where all parts are knitted into a single garment in a three-dimensional way. They are also particular about the yarn they use, using two types of yarn: single yarn and double yarn. Single yarn is the yarn as it is spun, while double yarn is two single yarns combined into one. Single yarn is the norm for Denim, but they are particular about using custom-made double yarn. Please come and touch it for yourself. The feel and texture are different.

[This Konoito tsumugu 紡]

Address: 10-3 Okayama Prefecture, Kurashiki City

TEL: 086-436-6028

Business hours: Monday to Friday 10:00-17:30 Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10:00-18:00

Closed: Irregular holidays

Parking: None

This Konoito tsumugu 紡 website