Blue Gold

Historically, colored garments came from three sources: plants, minerals, and animals. Red, for example, came from the madder plant. In parts of Africa and Asia, black was made with iron dyes. Purple was extracted by crushing thousands of sea snails.

Blue, or indigo, came from the Indigofera plant, native to India and Southeast Asia. Extracting dye from it is a labor-intensive, multi-step process. First, the leaves are fermented, sometimes over a year in the sun. Then, the pigment must be reduced in a carefully balanced dye vat through a process that requires precise control of pH, temperature, and oxygen.

Because of how difficult it is to produce, indigo was once considered more valuable than gold. Indigo played a role in colonial exploitation, sparked revolts, and shaped trade along the Silk Road. In Japan, samurai wore indigo-dyed clothing, not just for its striking color, but also for its supposed antibacterial properties. Culturally, indigo became a symbol of luxury and status, often reserved for royalty, hence the term “royal blue.”

But everything changed in the late 1800s, when synthetic dyeing was invented. What once took months of careful labor could now be done in days. With the invention of synthetic indigo, the color became accessible to the working class and used for denim, workwear, and uniforms. Indigo shifted from a prestigious, high status color to the color of workwear (think of the term blue collar).

This shift nearly wiped out the 4,000-year-old tradition of natural indigo dyeing. But in places like India, Japan, and Southeast Asia, some artisans and craftspeople are keeping the tradition alive.

What drew me to natural indigo isn’t just the history, it’s the way it ages. Synthetic dyes often look best the moment they’re applied. But natural indigo? It fades and ages beautifully over time, developing a patina that reflects how you’ve worn and lived in the piece. It becomes uniquely yours.