NEWS

泥染めのシャツとは?  WHATS CLAY DYE?

大地のまんま泥染め
Clay dye is the color of the earth itself

同じ大地から生まれたものだから、土のもつ本来の自然な色合いを綿シャツで表現したい、
そんなデザイナーの想いから始まった泥染めシャツ。
四季よって違う粘土の特性を試作を繰り返しながら自然な色合いと風合いあるシャツが出来上がりました。

デザイナー蒼木アキラの生まれ育った北関東に位置する群馬県藤岡市は、
山と川に囲まれた自然豊かで、良質な粘土と水に恵まれ古くから土師器や須恵器などの土器、
あるいは埴輪や瓦の一大産地として発達しました。
中でも、藤岡瓦はその起源を上野国分寺創建時にまで遡ることができ、
千二百有余年の歴史と伝統を誇っています。
藤岡の赤土粘土は、赤城火山、榛名火山などの火山灰が堆積してできた関東ローム層。
鉄分を多く含み、土粒子が細かく、含水比が高く、
透水性も高い粘土鉱物と呼ばれる”鉱物”が含まれてます。

デザイナーの実家は江戸時代に藤岡の地に移り住み400年続く米と野菜農家です。
その畑の養分をたっぷりと含んだ良質な赤土と天然の地下水を使い
多摩美術大学で、染織を学んだ
デザイナー自らが1点1点染め上げて泥染め製品となっています。

泥染めの特徴は、地下水と一緒に練り込まれたとろとろの泥(クレイ)状のものが
鉄分を多く含むことで粘土鉱物が繊維に浸透やすくし、糸に膨らみが増すことで
角が落ち、柔らかさ・風合いが増します。
また
その仕上がりは、泥を纏ったような粘土そのものの美しい色合いや斑感のある独特な
ムラ感のある表情が製品に宿っています。

私たちの泥染め製品は、土と水を使った天然染めとなります。
化学薬品は一切使っておりませんので、使った土は元の畑に戻し、
水は土の養分となります。

歴史や文脈のあるものづくりを通じて環境と人と社会を未来へつなぐ
新たな価値観を育てて参ります。

Fujioka City, Gunma Prefecture, located in northern Kanto, where designer Akira Aoki was born and raised, is surrounded by mountains and rivers and is rich in nature. Blessed with high-quality clay and water, it has developed since ancient times as a major producer of earthenware such as Hajiki and Sueki, as well as haniwa and roof tiles. Fujioka roof tiles, in particular, can be traced back to the founding of Ueno Kokubunji Temple, and boast a history and tradition of over 1,200 years. Fujioka clay is the Kanto Loam layer formed by the accumulation of volcanic ash from Mount Akagi and Mount Haruna. The soil particles are fine, have a high water content, and are highly permeable. It contains minerals called clay minerals. Designer Akira Aoki's family moved to Fujioka during the Edo period and has been a rice and vegetable farmer for 400 years. Using the nutrient-rich high-quality red soil and natural groundwater from the fields, designer Akira Aoki, who studied dyeing and weaving at Tama Art University, dyes each piece himself to create mud-dyed products.

The characteristic of mud dyeing is that the viscous clay minerals kneaded together with the groundwater penetrate the fibers,
causing the yarn to swell and round off the edges, making it softer and more textured.

The finished product also has the beautiful colors of the clay itself, and a unique uneven texture that makes it look like it is covered in mud.

Our mud-dyed products are naturally dyed using soil and water.

Since we do not use any chemicals, the soil is returned to the original field,
and the water becomes a nutrient for the soil.

Through manufacturing with history and context, we hope to foster new values ​​that connect the environment, people, and society to the future.

Fujioka City in Gunma Prefecture is located in the northern Kanto region where designer Akira Aoki was born and raised,
Fujioka City, Gunma Prefecture, where the designer was born and raised, is surrounded by mountains and rivers and is rich in nature, blessed with high-quality clay and water.
Fujioka has been a major production center of earthenware, haniwa (clay figurines), and roof tiles.
Fujioka tiles, in particular, can trace their origins back to the founding of Ueno Kokubunji Temple,
Fujioka has a history and tradition of more than 1,200 years.
Fujioka's clay is the Kanto Loam layer, which was formed by the accumulation of volcanic ash from the Akagi and Haruna volcanoes.
The clay particles are fine and have a high water content ratio and high permeability.
It contains “minerals” called clay minerals.

Designer Akira Aoki's family moved to Fujioka in the Edo period and has been a rice and vegetable farmer for 400 years.
Using high-quality red soil rich in nutrients from their fields and natural groundwater, the designer's family has been producing fabrics with a high level of craftsmanship.
The designer himself dyes each item individually.
Designer Akira Aoki, who studied dyeing and weaving at Tama Art University, dyes each item individually to create mud-dyed products.

The characteristic of mud-dyeing is that the thick clay minerals kneaded into the fibers together with the groundwater, which makes the fibers swell up,
This makes the yarn swell up, which in turn reduces the corners of the yarn and increases its softness and texture.
In addition
The finished product looks as if it has been covered with mud.
The product has a unique uneven look with beautiful colors and mottled texture of the clay itself, as if it were covered with mud.
The product has a unique uneven look and feel.

Our mud-dyed products are naturally dyed using soil and water.
We do not use any chemicals, so the soil we use is returned to the original fields, and the water becomes nutrients for the soil,
The water becomes nutrients for the soil.

We will continue to nurture new values to connect the environment, people, and society to the future through manufacturing with history and context.
We will continue to nurture new values.