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Amami Oshima Island is located in the southern sea of Kagoshima Prefecture. Although it is close to Nago, Okinawa, and is often mistakenly thought to be part of Okinawa Prefecture, Amami Oshima belongs to Kagoshima Prefecture. As one would expect from a tropical island, the island is surrounded by tropical plants and the stunningly beautiful ocean, making you feel like you are at a resort just by stepping foot on the island.

The "mud dyeing" that J.S. Homestead has focused on this time is a traditional dyeing method that has taken root on the island since ancient times. Although there are no detailed records of its origin, it is said to have matured as a culture at least 1,300 years ago.

."In the Shosoin archives in Nara Prefecture, there is a description of a reddish-brown kimono that was presented to the Shosoin. It is said that it was probably an island folk art called "Oshima tsumugi" (Oshima silk).

Speaking slowly and calmly was Mr. Shito Kanai, a craftsman at Kanai Kohgei who dyes items for J.S. Homestead. Oshima tsumugi, as he describes it, is a type of kimono produced on the island. The black, lustrous fabric is known as one of the most luxurious of kimonos and is the object of admiration among kimono lovers.

Oshima silk, which is produced through the division of labor due to the surprisingly large number of production processes, is made through the hands of many passionate craftsmen, and its charm lies in its careful and beautiful finish. Mud-dyeing is an indispensable part of this process.

Why is Oshima tsumugi made only in Amami? . It is because of the climate of the island. Amami has an ancient layer rich in iron, which is expressed on the ground as muddy fields suitable for dyeing.

In addition to this mud, a special feature of mud-dyeing is the use of vermilion dye extracted from a tree called "sharinbai" (called "tecch tree" in Amami). This tree is abundantly available on the island.

."Mud dyeing is done without the use of chemicals, using the natural resources of the island. Therefore, there is a strong sense of "letting nature do the dyeing" rather than "dyeing. Mud dyeing is made possible by combining such nature with the wisdom passed down from our ancestors. That is what makes dyeing so interesting.

Mr. Kanai will be dyeing items that are actually available at J.S. Homestead.

A G-jacket type jacket, a T-shirt, and a pair of pants in collaboration with " Dickies " will be dyed in different ways.

. First, the jacket. After indigo dyeing as a base, the jacket is then dyed with mud. This gives the jacket a deep blue-black color. First, the fabric is passed through water to allow the dye to penetrate easily, then soaked in a jar of indigo dye, and rubbed and wrung to soak up the indigo into the fabric.

. When I pulled it up, the jacket, which had been pure white, was dyed green. According to Mr. Kanai, indigo is originally green. When it comes into contact with air, it oxidizes to produce a vivid indigo blue color.

So, after the jacket is pulled up, it is dried to let it air dry. The dyeing and drying process is repeated several times to express the deep, rich indigo color.

."Dye density changes depending on temperature and humidity. Therefore, even if we use the same method, the finished product will vary, so we change the rubbing method and the number of times the dye is applied depending on the conditions of the day. When it comes to finished products, there are lots, so we try to make sure that all items are dyed as evenly as possible.

. Mr. Kanai speaks while carefully dyeing a jacket. He imagines in his mind the color of the finished product, and dyes each item to achieve that color. The items dyed here are only possible because of the craftsman's solid intuition and skills, which no machine can possess.

After repeated dyeing, to make the color a brighter blue, the jacket is dipped in water mixed with acetic acid and soybean flour, which promotes oxidation. The soybean flour contains protein , which helps fix the color (improve fastness).

Next, let's dye the pants, T-shirts, and the jacket we just dyed with indigo with sharinbai.

The pants are soaked several times in alternating lime water and iron water in advance and dried once. This gives the fabric an ochre-colored undercoat, which makes a big difference in the final color finish.

In sharinbai dyeing, the vermilion dye is transferred from the tank to a metal bowl , into which the item is dipped. The dye is allowed to penetrate the item by rubbing and squeezing it as in indigo dyeing.

While dyeing the T-shirts, lime water was alternately soaked with the dye. When I asked the reason for this, Mr. Kanai explained with a preface, "This is going to be about chemistry.

."Sharinbai dye is made up of an ingredient called tannic acid. Lime serves to bring the fabric to an alkaline state. This makes it easier for the acid to adhere to the fabric. In other words, it becomes easier to dye the sharimbai in the color of the sharimbai. After repeating this process several times until the ideal color is achieved, the fabric is allowed to rest for a while in order to deepen the color. Finally, a mordant called alum is added to fix the color.

This kind of wisdom has been traditionally inherited from our predecessors. Even before the advancement of science and technology, these "reactions" of dyeing were discovered and applied as technology.

After the dyeing process is completed, each item is dyed in the color shown below. The jacket and pants will be dyed with mud.

In the muddy fields, jackets and pants are dived deep and rubbed into the mud by rubbing the fabric. The rich iron content in the mud combines with the tannic acid in the sharinbai to produce the blackish brown color.

."This mud has very fine particles and can dye yarns without damaging the fibers. But on the other hand, a lot of particles get entangled in the fibers, causing extra adhesion. To remove them, we need clear running water. There is a river near our workshop , and we wash the excess particles from the mud dyeing there."

So, when we finish working in the muddy fields, we move to the river to remove the excess mud. The river at the foot of the mountain is cool and comfortable because the trees gently block the sun's rays. . And the clear water is cool and refreshing, cooling our bodies after a hard day's work.

When the item is dipped into the water and the fabric is gently rubbed, the mud adhering to it drifts away along the river's current. According to Mr. Kanai, "Since we use all natural materials, we can wash without polluting the river. Once the mud is removed, the dyeing process is over. All that remains is to dry the items and wait for them to dry.

After the dyeing was finished, we talked to Mr. Kanai about the culture of mud dyeing. There are now more mud-dyeing workshops in Amami than can be counted on one's fingers. When the production of Oshima silk was at its peak, there were nearly 100 of them.

."There are many reasons why the number of workshops has decreased, but the reason why we are still here is because we have the awareness to share the traditional craft of mud dyeing with as many people as possible. The current president is such a person. He is the kind of person who is now the president of J.S. Homestead, and he is also working with apparel brands to promote the appeal of mud-dyeing in a wide range of ways, such as by inviting tourists to experience mud-dyeing. We are trying to inherit and develop the culture of mud-dyeing with a flexible mindset.

Mud-dyeing originally functioned as one of the cogs in the production of Oshima tsumugi. In other words, the mud-dyeing method was used only for Oshima silk. Kanai Kogei brought a flexible idea into this process. Applying techniques in new directions and developing culture . We learned from Kanai and his colleagues that it is not enough to just preserve tradition.

."Our stance is to enjoy making things. . While understanding the tradition of Oshima silk, we seek a different approach. There are various dyeing techniques, and the dyeing process varies depending on the fabric and material. Using our own techniques, we would like to challenge ourselves to try different combinations."

The next morning after the items were dried overnight, Kanai-san showed us the items that had been dyed.

This is a T-shirt dyed with sharinbai. It is dyed a reddish-brown color, almost purple. No other dyes are used, so this is the true color of the leaves. The gentle color of natural origin is appealing.

Next is the jacket. Indigo blue from indigo dyeing and black from mud dyeing combine to create a color with depth. The blue shines brightly in the light because of the deep, dark shadows. This depth is created by the mud-dyeing process.

The pants have been dyed a beige-like color. Sharinbai and mud dyeing alone cannot express this color. The ochre color is dyed as a base, and the Amami dyeing technique is added to it. As Mr. Kanai said, "I challenge various combinations," it is possible to achieve this light color by taking a multifaceted approach.

. Mr. Kanai's careful handling of each item was impressive. The workshop is staffed by older craftsmen who preserve the tradition of Oshima silk and younger craftsmen who take on new challenges. What they both have in common is that they use both hands to carefully handle each object to be dyed. They do not rely on machines, but believe in the techniques they have inherited to deliver reliable quality. Therefore, there is a limit to the number of items that can be dyed, and the products have a different look from those that are mass-produced in factories. It is easy to use words like "handmade" and "handwork," but at the core of these words are tradition, technique, and the sweat of our craftsmen. When you pick up one of our products in a store, please take a moment to recall the elements that make up this product. You will find that it is not only well-designed, but also has a thick charm that cannot be seen on the surface.

In addition, "Journal Standard Omotesando" is simultaneously selling wood bowls specially ordered by Mr. Tomoyuki Imada of Woodworks-CUE, a woodworker living in Amami Oshima, and dyed with mud and indigo by Kanai Kougei, as well as plates and flower vases from the regular lineup. Please check them out as well.