Black Jewel - Kyoto Folk Art Black Dye

Kyokuromontsukizome (Kyoto Black Dye with Kamon) is a folk art dyeing product produced in Kyoto City and Kameoka City, Kyoto Prefecture. Kyoguro montsuki dyeing is characterized by the fact is used as formal wear for ceremonial occasions, such as mourning clothes worn at funerals and black tomesode worn at weddings, and it is known for deep, elegant, high-quality black color. Although the fabric is silk and chemical dyes are used to express an elegant black, traditional dyes such as red or indigo are used to create three black and black dyes. Since the fabric shows the clan and family lineage, the family crest is accurately and beautifully applied by a traditional craftsman. Of the approximately 20,000 types of crests that exist, about 4,000 of the commonly used ones are hand-painted or stencil-printed using stencils.

The history of Kyoto black montsuki dyeing dates back to around the 10th century, and it is said that black dyeing was established around the 17th century. Originally, it was used for the Buddhist monk's robe and samurai's wear with kamon, and in the Meiji era, demand increased as for a haori and hakama for ceremonial occasions to this day. In the postwar period, even as Japanese and Western cultures advanced. Kyoto's black dyeing industry continues to maintain its solid position as a traditional craft. In addition, around 1902-1903 (Meiji 35-36), which was the golden age of the black dyeing industry, general techniques using such as iron powder, peach juice, and mandarin orange juice were introduced. It required labor to repeat the dyeing process more than 18 times using these types of dyeing solutions. However, in the Taisho era, synthetic dyes began to be used, and the method of black dyeing was also practiced.

General Production Process
1. Inspection
We carefully inspect the white silk fabric, which has not yet been dyed, to make sure that there are no stains or blemishes on the fibers.
2. Sumiuchi
After passing the inspection, the white silk fabric is marked with ink to determine the positions of the sleeves and front body.
3. Mon Norioki Resist dyeing
Mon Norioki Resist Dying is performed where the family crests will be put to prevent them from being stained with ink. Mochi rice is spread like a paste, and is placed on both sides of the sleeves, chest, and back that are being stamped with ink. There are various types of crest paste, and the sizes and shapes differ for men and women.
4. Frame hanging (dipping)
Wait for the mon paste to dry, hang the silk fabric on the needle of the frame with a gap, tightly stretch to avoid getting wrinkled, so that there will be no uneven colors.
5. Under-dyeing
In order to dye it in a deep jet-black color, we dye three times using crimson and indigo, to make the silk fabric elegant and classy.
6.Black dyeing
The dye bath is set to a high temperature of 95 degrees Celsius to dye according to the weight, condition, and type of the silk fabric, and the fabric is immersed in the dye bath pot to complete the dyeing process. At that time, the fabric is pulled out of the pot many times to check the dyeing condition so that the color to avoid uneven colors.
7.Washing, Mon washing & Drying
Wash away the excess dye, the paste placed on both sides for resist dyeing is removed, stains and dirt from the dyeing liquid that permeates the pattern are washed off, and dried.
8. Organize
Bring out the texture of the dyed silk fabric and its flexibility. Then water resistant is applied.
9. Yunoshi
The silk fabric that has wrinkled or shrunk during the dyeing process is straightened, and while steam is applied, both ends are stretched with needles and placed on a roller to perform the pinking process.
10. Mon Uwae
The crests are carefully painted with ink using a brush or bamboo compass. Kurobikizome involves three processes of black dyeing with a brush, with the front and back as one processes. The first time is logwood extracted from tree extract and dyed using a 5 cm wide brush. Next it is dyed with potassium dichromate, which has oxidizing power, and finishes it in a glossy black with a strong redness.