＜高城染工場　100年の歴史と藍＞

 

高城染工は、瀬戸内海を臨む繊維の町・倉敷市児島にて、100年以上続く小さな染工場。
時代の流れとともに変化しながら進んでまいりました。

​

 世界最古の染料と呼ばれる藍。
1500年以上前の飛鳥時代に中国から日本に伝わり、江戸時代には人々の暮らしに深く根ざし、

「ジャパン・ブルー」と呼ばれた、凛とした深く美しい青。

そんな藍染を、今も手作業で行い、独自の色を守り続けているのが、高城染工４代目の角南浩彦です。

​

染料の匂いと、100年間のさまざまな情景と記憶。
そして、受け継がれてきた色に対するこだわり。

藍とインディゴの持つ魅力や可能性を探り続けながら、商品を通じてその素晴らしさを発信しています​。

​

​

The history of Takashiro Senko and the art of indigo dyeing.

​

Takashiro Senko is an indigo dyeing factory located in Kojima, Japan where has a long history of textiles and indigo dyeing.

​

I am the fourth generation of my dyeing factory which has been active for over 110 years.

​

For two years, I was absorbed in study of Art & Design at the National Academy of Design of Fine Arts in New York.

​

The history of indigo dyeing goes back to the time when Egyptians were building pyramids, and the techniques

have been passed on over the years from Europe to China and then to Japan.

​

The technique has a long history and has been used in Japan for kimono as common clothes in Japan.

When my great grandfather started his factory, Kimonos were the only thing he was making and dyeing,

and as time went by, people in Japan  didn't wear Kimono like they used to so my father started dyeing jeans.

 

And when I took over, I started making clothes for women.

 

All of the clothes I make use the designs I learned in New York and I make clothes using dyeing techniques that has been used for four generations.

 

30 years have already passed since I started my work.

 

All the clothes I design and make are all dyed by hand.

Gentle but eye catching indigo blue is loved by many Japanese women.

 

Hirohiko Sunami

designer, dyer of Indigo