A Celebration of Natural Indigo
THE GREAT INDIGO SEEDLING GIVEAWAY
We've spent the spring germinating our Indigo crop. Now we are giving it away! On Saturday May 26, 2018 get an indigo seedling free with any purchase in either the Main Maiwa Store or Maiwa Supply. Seedlings come with an instruction card to help you plant them out. While supplies last.
DYEING DEMO - SATURDAY MAY 26/18 10am - 3 pm
Join us outside Maiwa Supply on Saturday May 26 , 2018 for demonstrations of dyeing with natural indigo. This is your chance to witness the incredible transformation that happens when cloth is dyed in an organic indigo vat. Indigo changes colour as it emerges from a vat - going from a yellowy green to a deep, satisfying, indigo blue.
INDIGO TEXTILES AND SEEDS
Our main store has a "feature rack" of our favourite blues. See a variety of garments - all naturally dyed with natural indigo. All will display a special tag with a tiny glass vial of indigo seeds, sealed with a cork and blue wax (Online garments do not come with a vial of seeds). Beautiful garments, shawls and scarves carry the seeds of the future.
Pictured above: multi-layer indigo dyed jacket, China.
IN-STORE EXHIBITION
THE BEST OF THE BLUES
We've grouped all of our indigo-dyed online textiles into a special collection. Scroll through everything that has been touched by this magical dye.
We've grouped all of our indigo-dyed online textiles into a special collection. Scroll through everything that has been touched by this magical dye.
THE INDIGO HARVEST
In southern India indigo dye is obtained from Indigofera tinctoria. Indigofera is a beneficial crop because it returns nitrogen to the soil. In many places it is grown in rotation and simply ploughed under (without ever extracting the colour). When it is grown for the dye, the crop can be naturally weeded by pasturing cows or goats — they eat the weeds but not the indigo. Depending on the weather, a single plant can give 2 to 3 harvests a year.
INDIGO EXTRACTION
Once cut, the indigo plants are placed in a large extraction tank, covered with water and allowed to soak until they ferment. The fermentation transforms indican (present in the leaves) to indoxyl (a soluble form of indigo). The water containing indoxyl is drained off and then whipped to introduce oxygen. The oxygen transforms the indoxyl to indigo. The indigo settles to the bottom where it is collected and concentrated into cakes. This is powdered indigo - the most famous dye in the world.
Once cut, the indigo plants are placed in a large extraction tank, covered with water and allowed to soak until they ferment. The fermentation transforms indican (present in the leaves) to indoxyl (a soluble form of indigo). The water containing indoxyl is drained off and then whipped to introduce oxygen. The oxygen transforms the indoxyl to indigo. The indigo settles to the bottom where it is collected and concentrated into cakes. This is powdered indigo - the most famous dye in the world.
GET YOUR BLUES FROM US
Maiwa sells natural indigo extracted from crops grown in southern India. We carry everything you need to get started; like the natural indigo kit and keep going, like our largest size of indigo. In addition we offer an instruction sheet for Indigo and Woad and The Organic Vat.
Maiwa sells natural indigo extracted from crops grown in southern India. We carry everything you need to get started; like the natural indigo kit and keep going, like our largest size of indigo. In addition we offer an instruction sheet for Indigo and Woad and The Organic Vat.
Our collection of all things indigo available at:
The Maiwa Main Store and Maiwa Supply on Granville Island 7 days a week between 10am and 7pm
And Online at maiwa.com
DVD: INDIGO A WORLD OF BLUE
Indigo: A World of Blue was shot on location in southern India. The work features indigo use in Sindh, Pakistan; the Vientiane District of Loas; the island of Sumba, Indonesia; Yogyakarta, Indonesia, village Dhamadka, India; and Suleymanköy, Turkey. Featuring renowned indigo scholar Jenny Balfour Paul speaking about indigo's fascinating history, traditions, superstitions and lore.
Indigo a World of Blue is a zone-free SD DVD.
Available at a special price in our online store.
0 comments
We moderate comments to keep posts on-topic, avoid spam, and inappropriate language. Comments should appear within 24 hours.