The tale of aizome, traditional Japanese indigo dyeing, is intricately woven with ancient traditions of the past and modern consumer preferences of the present day. As one of the oldest dyes to be used by humankind, its existence in the modern day reflects the enduring legacy of an age-old craft as well as its adaptability through recent resurgence in a world increasingly inclined towards sustainability and authenticity. The goal of this project was to gain a deeper understanding of aizome through numerous interviews with artisans and art students. With this knowledge, we then identified opportunities to increase connections within the indigo dyeing community.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Ali, Ziyad
• Burns, Jillian
• Mitra, Tanisha
• Di Mise, Francesco

Subject

• Industry
• Culture
• Innovation
• Sustainability
• Learning
• Community

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 115247
• E-project-121523-075017

Keyword

• Aizome
• Kyoto
• Preservation
• Traditional craft
• Indigo

Advisor

• Nirmal, Padini
• Sphar, Jefferson Alex

Year

• 2023

Center

• Kyoto, Japan Project Center - IQP

Sponsor

• Jennifer Teeter

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

Date created

• 2023-12-15

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Source

• E-project-121523-075017

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2024-02-08