Natural Dyeing on Kumejima; Colours of the Island.

The distinctive reddish-brown Kumejima Tsumugi are created using a dye called guru, from the guru plant. This dye is used during the initial stage of mud-dyeing, and through iron mordanting in the mud, the color transforms into a deep brown-black shade. When used for solid colors, a final alum mordanting step gives the fabric a warm, yellowish-brown hue.

To create the dye solution, the plant’s underground stems are chipped into small pieces and boiled. For the kasuri threads (threads bound to resists the dye), the silk threads are first completely dried and then dyed with the hot dye solution.

Guru is a climbing shrub found in sunny areas of pine forests and mountainous regions. Its roots form clusters of tubers underground, making harvesting challenging. When digging up the roots, part of the root system is left in the ground, allowing for regeneration and harvest again after 5–6 years.

Another essential plant for a deep black color is Tikachi. This plant is also used in the mud-dyeing process for Oshima Tsumugi (where it is known as sharinbai or techigi in Amami Oshima).

Tikachi is primarily used during the dyeing stages between mud applications. For kasuri threads, it is dyed before completely drying to prevent the color bleeding underneath the binding threads.

This evergreen tree is found from coastal areas to slightly inland regions. Its bark and other parts are rich in tannins, producing a brownish dye. The plant is chopped into manageable pieces with an axe, then boiled in a pot to create the dye solution.

To create the elegant pale gray and silver tones, the tree Yuna is used. This evergreen tree is commonly found along the coasts of the Ogasawara Islands, Yakushima, Tanegashima, and areas further south. To extract its dye, the wood is first burned into charcoal, then mixed with soybean liquid (mame-jiru) and dissolved in water for use.

Yuna has a long history as a dyeing material, with records of its use dating back to the Ryukyu Kingdom era. Today, Kumejima is the only region actively continuing this dyeing tradition.

The process begins by soaking the threads in mame-jiru for 20 minutes. The powdered Yuna charcoal is then filtered through cloth into the dye solution. The threads are dyed evenly at room temperature to avoid uneven coloration. Dyeing at room temperature is extremely uncommon with natural dyes. The process of dyeing and drying is repeated multiple times until the desired grey is acheived.

The Kurusa tree is used to create a cool black. This evergreen tree with tannin rich bark is commonly found in forests ranging from lowlands to mountainous areas, grows to a height of about 5 to 10 meters.

The leaves are boiled to produce a dye solution. The threads are dyed, sundried, and dyed again about six times a day. It first turns an egg yolk yellow, and after mud dying turns into a soft beige. 

An evergreen sub-tree that grows in mountainous areas. Its bark is used to extract dye, and in Kumejima Tsumugi, it is often boiled together with the bark of Yamamomo (bayberry) to produce yellow to yellow-brown dye.

When dyeing yellow for Kumejima Tsumugi, Yamamumu and Kurubo are mostly used, while Fukugi, frequently seen in other plant-based dyes, is rarely used.

A tall evergreen tree found growing in sunny mountainous areas. The method is the same as the kurobo.

An evergreen tree that grows widely from lowlands to mountainous areas, its bark can be used for brown or black dyes.

By boiling the trunk bark to create a dye solution and repeating the process of "dyeing → dehydration → sun-drying" about six times in a single day, the following results can be achieved:

Kumejima's main agricultural product, sugarcane, also serves as a dye for producing bright green hues. As a perennial grass in the Poaceae family, it grows to a height of about 2 to 4 meters, with characteristic segmented stalks.

By boiling the leaves to create a dye solution and repeating the process of "dyeing → dehydration → sun-drying" about six times in a single day, the fabric takes on a brownish tone, resembling darkened green. Finally, through copper mordanting, it transforms from a dark brownish-green into a vibrant green color.

A plant widely used as windbreak and tidal protection forests near coastal residences in southern Japan. Its bark can produce a yellow dye, but in Kumejima Tsumugi, it is often used for layering with indigo to achieve green.

The dye is prepared by boiling the trunk bark, and through the process of "dyeing → dehydration → sun-drying" repeated about six times in a single day, the fabric is dyed yellow. Finally, alum mordanting is applied to fix the yellow color.

A perennial plant commonly found in sunny grasslands, with upright stems that grow in clusters, reaching a height of about 2 to 3 meters. Its stems and leaves are used to extract a pinkish brown dye.

By slicing the root and stem sections into rings and boiling them to create a dye solution, the process of "dyeing → dehydration → sun-drying" is repeated about six times in a single day. Finally, alum mordanting is applied to produce a pinkish hue.

Found in the very south of Kyushu and the Southwest Islands of Japan, this plant grows on rocky areas near the coast. Its leaves can be boiled to extract a pale whitish dye.

By boiling the leaves to prepare the dye and repeating the process of "dyeing → dehydration → sun-drying" about six times in a single day, the fabric takes on a pale tone. Finally, alum mordanting is applied to produce an ivory-like color.