The soft color from the natural dyes is significantly different from the vivid color with chemical dyes. We enjoy the color of Natural Dye Sashiko thread, especially in a process of making “Boro” so that both fabric and thread can age – change color – together with overtime. We repeatedly tested the color stability, either if the color fades out by washing, before introducing them online. However, the Natural Dyed & Hand Dyed Sashiko thread & fabric require some attention and understanding of how to handle. The color will not be washed away by regular care for the natural dye. However, we do not recommend to throw them to the washing machine with detergent (which may have kind of “bleach” in it). Here, we introduce how to handle Natural Dye Thread and Fabric.
“Don’t” do list | Handle Natural Dye Thread with care.
First of all, please never use “Bleach” in washing and to handle Natural Dye thread. One wash with bleach may (and most likely “will”) completely wash away the natural color and make it bright white. The bleach is strong enough to do its job – to make it bright white.
The point we have to pay attention here is that some of “regular detergent” may contain the same chemical as the bleach in it. For example, if a detergent say “stain removal”, then the detergent may be too strong for the Natural Dye color.
Also, putting the Natural Dye thread and fabric in the water with detergent for a long time is not a good idea. The more time the color touches the detergent, the more color may be washed away.
Do list | How to well Handle Natural Dye Thread
Generally speaking, the natural dye doesn’t go well with the chemical detergent. In need of using the detergent, please choose the “Neutral Detergent”. Although it is quite easy to find them in Japan, I do not find the neutral detergent easily in the US (we can find them but quite expensive). In that case, please try to find the “gentle” or “soft” detergent and make sure to test the thread and fabric if the color will be washed out or not. In my experience, most of the color will stay on unless the detergent is “gentle” and washed gently. However, as a baseline, please handle Natural Dye thread with maximum Care.
Summary of Do and Don’t
Do:
- Hand-wash with no detergent. Or gentle wash with Neutral Detergent.
Don’t:
- Using Bleach, or strong detergent which may contain Bleach.
- Machine wash with long-cycle (or extra wash cycle).
- Leave the thread or fabric in water (with detergent) for a long time.
Understand the reaction process
It is probably difficult to find a “Natural Dye” items in the mass-produced market. It is because the process of natural-dye requires a lot of attention and care. The color from nature will not stay on the thread or fabric by dipping them into a vat. It isn’t like a watercolor, putting paint on the paper.
The natural color stays on the thread and fabric by chemical reaction with a catalyst. We usually use the metal, such as iron or copper, to make the reaction happen. In another example, the Authentic Japanese Indigo Dye (Hon-Aizome), they use the oxidation process to create such a beautiful blue. The fabric and thread right after dipped in the vat looks somewhat “gray” or “brown”. In a process of oxidation (touching the air that contains oxygen), the beautiful Japanese blue comes out.
The chemical reaction doesn’t mean using chemical materials. Here, chemical reaction equals to Oxidation and Reduction. Vinegar will make the liquid more acidic and ash (such as wood ash) make the water more alkalinity. Either of acidic and alkalinity affects the balance of Natural Dye and could end up with washing out the color or changing the color.
Therefore, we strongly recommend using natural detergent, or just water.
The natural dye before the Industrial Revolution
One of the big reasons we use the Natural Dye thread is to recreate the beauty of Japan in hundreds of years ago – before the industrial revolution. Back then, in Japan, they did not have the chemical (artificial) detergent or bleach to wash the fabric. They did not have a washing machine either.
Instead, they washed the fabric and thread by hands with care (attention). I hope you would do the same when you handle Natural Dye thread and fabric.
By the way, this is my personal endnote (which may contradict what I had written so far). Anyhow, I DO wash my Sashiko Stitched Denim with the gentle detergent in a washing machine… I had washed probably more than 100 times over 1~2 years, but I can still see the thread color. The yellow from mountain peach looks more like white, but it still has yellowish color (I believe). I always wash it separately, with a gentle cycle of the washing machine, with a small amount of detergent as I feel. I sometimes do not add the detergent, but at some point, the jeans get smelly that we need some detergent… I hope you can find your own way to handle Natural Dye thread and fabric.
Shop our Natural Dye Sashiko Thread
Finding the right fabric for Sashiko is about much more than choosing cotton. The weave, density, weight, and surface of the cloth all influence how the needle moves and how naturally you can develop the rhythm of Unshin (運針). A fabric that feels pleasant for sewing is not always suitable for practicing traditional Sashiko.
This fabric has been selected after years of testing and comparison, and it is the same material we continue to use for our own projects, demonstrations, and many of our educational programs.
A New Chapter After a Discontinued Favorite
For many years we relied on a particular indigo-dyed cotton fabric that had become an essential part of our workshops and everyday stitching. When its production ended, we faced the challenge of finding a worthy successor without compromising the stitching experience we had spent years refining.
Rather than simply purchasing another fabric from the market, we worked with Japanese textile specialists to identify a cloth that shared the qualities we value most. After extensive sampling and many months of stitching, we selected the fabric offered here.
Compared with the previous version, this fabric is woven slightly more densely, creating a smoother and more stable surface while preserving the flexibility needed for comfortable hand stitching.
Designed for Traditional Sashiko
This cloth is produced specifically for traditional Japanese Sashiko practice. Its balanced weight and tightly woven structure provide excellent support for learning proper needle movement while remaining pleasant for longer stitching sessions.
It is well suited for:
- Traditional Sashiko practice
- Workshop and educational use
- Quilting
- Textile art
- Hand-sewing projects
Product Specifications
- 100% Cotton
- Approximate weight: 300 g/m²
- Plain-surface woven fabric
- Width: approximately 112–120 cm (44–48 inches) depending on the production lot
- Woven, indigo dyed, and finished in Japan
- Dyed using the traditional Waridate indigo dyeing method
The fabric is sold by the yard. Multiple yards will be supplied as one continuous length whenever possible. The maximum continuous length per order is 5 yards. Please contact us if you require a longer continuous piece.
Production Variations
Because this fabric is produced in relatively small batches, slight variations between production lots may occur. Recent lots may be woven a little wider than earlier ones. These adjustments do not significantly affect the appearance or stitching experience and are generally difficult to notice without a direct comparison.
Working with Indigo
This fabric is dyed with synthetic indigo using the traditional Waridate process. It is not dyed with natural Japanese indigo (Hon-Aizome).
Some color transfer during the first several washes is normal. We recommend washing it separately by hand at first. Once the excess dye has been removed through several washes, it can generally be laundered together with other textiles.
When used with our Sashiko threads, normal washing does not typically cause significant discoloration of the thread.
Recommended Thread
Although Sashiko can be stitched on many different fabrics, the stitching experience depends greatly on the combination of fabric and thread. For the most balanced results, we recommend pairing this fabric with thread specifically designed for traditional Sashiko.
Why We Continue to Use This Fabric
Every material behaves differently once the needle begins moving. Some fabrics resist the needle, while others are too soft to support consistent rhythm. This cloth offers a balance that allows both beginners and experienced stitchers to focus on developing technique rather than struggling with the material itself.
It is the same fabric used in many of our own stitching projects and educational programs, and we continue to rely on it because it supports the style of Sashiko we teach every day.