Hello.
This is Noguchi from CASANOVA&CO.
Today, I'll be talking about this event.
THE NULABEL × CASANOVA&CO
NU-ORDER - Indigo as a Living Process -
2026.01.17(SAT) - 2026.01.21(WED)
This collaboration with THE NULABEL.
This project allows you to see undyed "bleached products" and then order which dye you want to use, in response to THE NULABEL's continuous commitment to the "product dyeing" process.
As I mentioned in my previous blog post about the brand and event overview, THE NULABEL is not just a brand that adds product dyeing as an afterthought.
Mr. Hamada of THE NULABEL is not focused on the moment of dyeing, nor on the resulting color itself.
He respects and intervenes in the processes before and after a traditional, completed dyeing technique, a "cycle," to connect it to the next cycle.
Sympathizing with Mr. Hamada's approach, we also visited a certain place to properly intervene in this cycle.
"Aiya Terroir," which handles the "indigo dyeing" for THE NULABEL.
This time, we will introduce the time, preparation, responsibility, and circulation that precede dyeing, divided into several chapters.
Chapter 0 : Terroir
Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
We drove north for about 40 minutes from Fukuyama Station, which is also a stop for the Nozomi Shinkansen.
After about 20 minutes of driving, there were no more houses or shops, just mountains.
This must be around the entrance to Yamanocho.
Along with a winery sign, there was also a sign for "Aiya Terroir."
Aiya Terroir is about 5 minutes by car from here.
The hut in the photo is the heart of Aiya Terroir.
Aiya Terroir's style is to use the local climate as its base and perform all the necessary steps for indigo dyeing by hand.
That's why we also believed it was necessary to bring this here with our own hands.
The undyed state, in other words, "bleached products."
This moment is the first touchpoint between "THE NULABEL" and "Aiya Terroir's indigo dyeing," and it serves as the starting point for connecting to the "NEW AGE."
However, to do so, we must respect and confront the processes that occur before and after the moment of dyeing.
Chapter 1 : Soil&Seed
The "indigo" in indigo dyeing is a dye made from the leaves of a plant called Persicaria tinctoria.
In other words, to dye with "indigo," you must cultivate Persicaria tinctoria.
Aiya Terroir begins its commitment to "indigo" from this point.
When we visited in winter, there was nothing but compost in the field.
They even get by-products from the winery, whose sign was next to theirs earlier, and turn them into compost.
To create good indigo, you must create good soil.
Aiya Terroir's indigo dyeing already begins at this moment.
Around March, they start planting seeds and growing seedlings in a greenhouse.
Mr. Fujii of Aiya Terroir says he gets motivated around March, thinking, "It's starting again this year..."
Once it gets warmer, the seedlings are transplanted to the field mentioned earlier.
From this point on, the battle against temperature and weather becomes even more severe.
As the months pass, harvesting takes place in the height of summer, from July to September.
After harvesting in the intense heat, the leaves and stems are immediately sorted.
Since the indigo pigment is only found in the leaves, the stems are separated and sometimes returned to the soil.
The sorting space completed around autumn 2025.
It wasn't ready for the 2025 harvest, so this year it will be in full swing.
The leaves are harvested from the stems by a red farm machine, and then a large fan blows air onto them as they are expelled from above.
This causes the heavier stems to fall, while only the lighter leaves are carried away by the wind.
The sorted leaves are dried in the greenhouse and then proceed to the next step.
Chapter 2 : Nurture
Aiya Terroir produces over 1 ton of dried indigo leaves.
To transform these more than 1 ton of dried leaves into "sukumo" (indigo compost) over approximately four months, Mr. Fujii begins his intervention as an indigo master.
Water and oxygen are given to the indigo leaves to promote fermentation.
For this purpose, a process called "kirikaeshi" (turning over) is performed once a week, where piled indigo leaves are broken down with a hoe, spread out, and then re-piled into a mound.
Once this is finished, the straw mats are placed over it again like a blanket to control the temperature and humidity.
This process is repeated approximately 18 times.
The sukumo that has completed 17 turnings as of this day.
Due to the fermentation, the temperature reaches nearly 70℃, emitting a strong ammonia odor.
Because of the temperature, steam rises from the sukumo when the mats are opened.
And the pungent smell of ammonia fills the air.
I felt the moment when something that was just a pigment-containing leaf became imbued with "the vitality of a dye."
Chapter 3 : Time / Fermentation
The sukumo, completed after 18 turnings, is dissolved with lye, shell ash, and wheat bran, finally forming the indigo dyeing liquid.
However, even with the completed dyeing liquid, continuous attention is required.
Mr. Fujii of Aiya Terroir says that the dyeing liquid, which takes nearly a year to make, contains a society of microorganisms within it.
If the dyeing liquid weakens, the color will be lighter; if it's activated, a darker color can be achieved.
If you dye many times in one day, the dyeing liquid becomes tired and gradually stops dyeing effectively.
This is where it differs significantly from chemical dyes.
Even after the dyeing liquid is complete, it's necessary to constantly interact with it and assess its condition.
Sometimes, the choice not to dye today is necessary.
To achieve truly good "indigo," you must constantly communicate with everything from the soil to the liquid.
Chapter 4 : Relation
Aiya Terroir, which consistently handles everything from indigo cultivation to sukumo production throughout the year.
For them, the moment of "indigo dyeing"—when an object is immersed in the dyeing liquid and begins to color—which is often associated with the term "indigo dyeing," is both a time to verify the indigo they've nurtured for a year and merely a small part of the continuous cycle of indigo dyeing.
However, it is from this moment of dyeing that THE NULABEL's direct intervention in the "indigo dyeing cycle" begins.
What is important here is that, just as the relationship between Mr. Fujii and indigo is, the relationship between THE NULABEL and Aiya Terroir, and furthermore, the relationship between Mr. Fujii and Mr. Hamada, is not solely focused on that moment, but rather involves important dialogue before and after it.
And just as the relationship between Mr. Fujii and indigo produces "beautiful indigo colors," I was convinced that the relationship between THE NULABEL and Aiya Terroir is what produces "beautiful clothes."
I came to that conviction when I posed a fundamental question to Mr. Fujii during a casual chat after we had finished everything planned for the day.
My question was, "Are there any specific characteristics of the indigo's nature or color unique to Yamanocho in Fukuyama City?"
Mr. Fujii said,
"There's no difference in the color being darker or less likely to fade just because we do it in Yamano or cultivate the indigo from scratch."
"However, precisely because we start with soil preparation, as long as indigo grows in that soil, it's definitely involved."
"I hope that accumulation becomes 'our indigo color.'"
He honestly explained it to me, without using the tremendous time and effort he puts in to differentiate himself from others with simple words.
I felt that the sincere passion of such people creates good things, and above all, I felt that the sincere passions of Mr. Fujii, Mr. Hamada, and Mr. Okamoto, from a sales perspective, were clashing.
I thought, "No wonder THE NULABEL is so cool."
Chapter 5 : Immersion
This time, I got to experience dyeing the nylon cargo pants prepared for the event.
Indigo dyeing liquid oxidizes and develops an indigo color when exposed to air.
Therefore, to prevent air from entering the pockets of the clothes being dyed, they are slowly lowered into the liquid from the hem.
Of course, splashing the surface of the liquid is also forbidden.
After being completely submerged in the liquid, no part of the clothing can be seen from above.
By touch, you search for and carefully rub areas such as flaps, belt loops, and the insides of pockets.
At this time, if any part of the fabric floats to the surface of the liquid, oxidation will proceed from that part, causing unevenness, so everything must always remain submerged in the liquid.
This is quite difficult.
The indigo dyeing liquid felt slightly viscous.
It might be similar to the water in a hot spring.
However, since it was winter, the dyeing liquid was chillingly cold.
When pulling it out of the liquid, fold it as you pull it up and quickly wring it out.
After wringing, immediately spread it out and expose it to the air.
This process also needs to be done quickly, otherwise, areas where the dyeing liquid has pooled will be dyed darker, causing unevenness.
Just a few seconds after the previous photo, the indigo color begins to develop like this.
I felt as if it was telling me that even after being dyed, "indigo is still alive."
Rinse with water to remove excess dye, then spin dry for about 10 seconds.
This completes one set of "indigo dyeing."
This dyeing process is repeated many times, depending on the brand and item.
Chapter 6 : Circulation
When I saw the dyed cargo pants, I felt an indescribable sensation.
Creating soil,
Weeding,
Watering seedlings,
Sorting leaves and returning stems to the soil,
Fermented sukumo and the shell ash mixed into it,
All of it is contained within this indigo color.
Conversely, this undeniably dazzling indigo color shines precisely because of these numerous processes.
It's the color that resulted from Aiya Terroir, from Mr. Fujii, continuously working with indigo in this land.
THE NULABEL, which gave me the opportunity to participate in this indigo dyeing cycle.
Seeing the cargo pants I dyed myself, I was once again strongly reminded of the emotional quality of THE NULABEL's product dyeing.
And I believe that it stems from Mr. Hamada's approach, that is, how he builds relationships, and that by clashing with THE NULABEL's quality, it becomes something "capable of withstanding the NEW AGE."
Through this participant observation, I intervened in the overlapping parts of the indigo dyeing cycle and the respective cycles of Aiya Terroir and THE NULABEL.
I believe that this "NU-ORDER" event will allow everyone to participate in this cycle.
Not consuming, but participating in the cycle.
Instead of consuming "HERITAGE" in the form of indigo dyeing, we participate in its cycle and pass it on to the "NEW AGE."
This time, we focused on Aiya Terroir, but the same context exists for all of THE NULABEL's dyeing backgrounds.
I sincerely hope that this event will be the first step in passing on each traditional dyeing technique to the "NEW AGE."