What is Aizome?
Living with Intention.
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Now is the time to take stock of our surroundings and start to live with more intention.
Absolutely No Chemicals.
Certified by a testing authority,
our products attest to a quality level that poses no problem for general usage.
Non use of chemicals.
Our cotton products contain no chemical agents that cause irritation to the skin. No bleach is used. Softener is not added. In place of chemicals, we use enzymes to dissolve sizing agents and impurities.
Color-fade resistant.
In authentic Aizome (Indigo dye), one has never to worry about the fading or running of color. It does not easily wear and tear, and it cuts the ultraviolet light. It is solidly colorfast. Furthermore, there is no such thing as an unpleasant odor.
Ethically made in Japan.
Making lye with Ukiha’s naturally superb water. This is also one of the necessary conditions in making authentic Aisome (Indigo dye). We also run an indigo farm. We ferment the dried indigo plant to make Sukumo (A fermented indigo plant).
We hand-dye all our Aizome products. Since we only use natural indigo, every finish is different in its hue and design.
Similarly, because our ecru cotton products contain no chemical additives, the hue may differ from year to year depending the color of the cotton flower harvest and its yarn.
Please enjoy our hand-crafted masterpiece and understand that there is only one kind of product in the world when you purchase it.
The Power of Enzymes
By harnessing the power of enzymes, the cotton products of Konoito achieve both the gentle touch of natural cotton and the rapid absorption of water and sweat.
Konoito products transform our worry over skin matter into a sense of reassurance.
Whether you have eczema or whether you have a baby, rest assured, you no longer have to worry about how your skin would react.
The Making of Authentic Aizome
01 — Using Ukiha’s superb water
First, Sukumo, which is made from a fermented indigo plant, is roasted together with the leaves of a broadleaf tree. Subsequently, indigo dye is made by brewing it over a long time with lye that comes from Ukiha region’s superb water. To maintain the indigo dye, shell lime, bran, lye and even maltose are used. There is no shortcut in making authentic Aizome which does not rely on any chemicals and is ecologically sound and user-friendly at the same time.
02 — What is indigo flower ?
Whether the Aizome is naturally made or made from chemicals, bubbles that form a flower design known as Ai no hana (the flower of indigo) at the top usually indicate that it is ready to be used as a dye. The color of the authentic indigo dye is usually black or brown. This is because the method I use does not require any churning, which hurts the dye, and it never gets to the point of forming the flower.
03 — Color-fade resistant
In authentic Aizome, one has never to worry about the fading or running of color. It does not easily wear and tear, and it cuts the ultraviolet light. It is solidly colorfast. Furthermore, there is no such thing as an unpleasant odor. Because there is so much fading and running of color when the indigo is made with chemicals, the fabric dyed in this way cannot be washed together with other materials. They easily wear and tear, and it does not adequately cut off the ultraviolet light. Moreover, it has an unpleasant odor.
04 — Ethically made in Japan
Making lye with Ukiha’s naturally superb water. This is also one of the necessary conditions in making authentic Aizome. We also run an indigo farm. Since the indigo component gets lost once the flower blooms, it gets cultivated before it blooms. We ferment the dried indigo plant to make Sukumo.
Frequently Asked Questions
The secret to the soothing touch of Konoito products can be found in our uncompromising approach to our manufacturing process.
We are here to answer your questions.
+ Are your products organic?
The cotton yarn we use currently is not organic. It is not organic because we want everyone to use it every day. We often see cotton products that are not 100% organic even though they may be labeled as organic. Even if our products are not organic, they can be easily used by people with sensitive skin because we pay meticulous attention to the manufacturing process. We are confident that Konoito products are just as good as those made with organic material.
+ Konoito’s cotton products contain no conventional chemical agents, right? You don’t even use a softener?
No. Any agents that could potentially cause some sort of skin reaction are not used at all.
+ How do you make cotton products without using any chemicals?
I kept looking for people who could give me a clue as to how to make cotton products without any chemicals but that are soft and equipped with superb water absorbability.
+ What are enzymes?
When we hear the word enzyme, maybe we think of edible enzymes such as juice or supplements. The enzyme used in the production of Konoito’s cotton products is similar to a cultured type of natto (fermented soybeans.) Enzymes are known to break down material bodies and also to serve as a binder as well. Fermented food products such as alcohol, cheese, miso and shoyu all leverage the power of enzymes. Konoito has taken advantage of the unique characteristics of enzymes and used them during the production process—desizing—of cotton fabrics.