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The plant is cut at ground level when it is in bloom and the leaves are turning to a reddish color because indigo content is at its highest. It will bloom again three months later and it is possible to make a second and third cut.

Direct method : The plant is used immediately: the plants are fermented in a vat of hot water for bacterial activity. Lime or ashes are added to keep a fixed alkaline rate. The dyeing is done directly in the bath.

Shell method : The fresh plant is crushed, drained and shaped into balls (shells or aidama) which are dried. These shells to be used then, are crushed and fermentation is reactivated by adding warm water. It is then up to the first process.
Indigo starch method : The plants are fermented in a tank covered with a thin layer of water. Fermentation can last up to 20 hours depending on ambient temperature. The liquid is then collected and filtered. It is whipped to make him absorb oxygen and oxidized which will permit its flocculation. The precipitation is done by adding an alkali (caustic lime or ash). The deposit is washed, boiled and filtered; it is called indigo starch, the dough is then shaped into loaves.

Dyeing of papers is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome by dipping or hikizome by brushing).

To dye paper by soaking, the sheets are plucked one by one between two wooden sticks by their small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Usually three jars of dye are prepared with decreasing concentrations. The paper is dipped in the less concentrated dye jar and oxidation occurs in the air; the paper is then soaked in the little bit more concentrated dye. After oxidation, the sheet is dipped into the third jar with the strongest concentration. The process can be repeated several times to obtain a color more or less intense. The sheet is dried by exposing the surface to air; the color changes by oxidation.

The plant is cut at ground level when it is in bloom and the leaves are turning to a reddish color because indigo content is at its highest. It will bloom again three months later and it is possible to make a second and third cut.

Direct method : The plant is used immediately: the plants are fermented in a vat of hot water for bacterial activity. Lime or ashes are added to keep a fixed alkaline rate. The dyeing is done directly in the bath.

Shell method : The fresh plant is crushed, drained and shaped into balls (shells or aidama) which are dried. These shells to be used then, are crushed and fermentation is reactivated by adding warm water. It is then up to the first process.
Indigo starch method : The plants are fermented in a tank covered with a thin layer of water. Fermentation can last up to 20 hours depending on ambient temperature. The liquid is then collected and filtered. It is whipped to make him absorb oxygen and oxidized which will permit its flocculation. The precipitation is done by adding an alkali (caustic lime or ash). The deposit is washed, boiled and filtered; it is called indigo starch, the dough is then shaped into loaves.

Dyeing of papers is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome by dipping or hikizome by brushing).

To dye paper by soaking, the sheets are plucked one by one between two wooden sticks by their small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Usually three jars of dye are prepared with decreasing concentrations. The paper is dipped in the less concentrated dye jar and oxidation occurs in the air; the paper is then soaked in the little bit more concentrated dye. After oxidation, the sheet is dipped into the third jar with the strongest concentration. The process can be repeated several times to obtain a color more or less intense. The sheet is dried by exposing the surface to air; the color changes by oxidation.

The plant is cut at ground level when it is in bloom and the leaves are turning to a reddish color because indigo content is at its highest. It will bloom again three months later and it is possible to make a second and third cut.

Direct method : The plant is used immediately: the plants are fermented in a vat of hot water for bacterial activity. Lime or ashes are added to keep a fixed alkaline rate. The dyeing is done directly in the bath.

Shell method : The fresh plant is crushed, drained and shaped into balls (shells or aidama) which are dried. These shells to be used then, are crushed and fermentation is reactivated by adding warm water. It is then up to the first process.
Indigo starch method : The plants are fermented in a tank covered with a thin layer of water. Fermentation can last up to 20 hours depending on ambient temperature. The liquid is then collected and filtered. It is whipped to make him absorb oxygen and oxidized which will permit its flocculation. The precipitation is done by adding an alkali (caustic lime or ash). The deposit is washed, boiled and filtered; it is called indigo starch, the dough is then shaped into loaves.

Dyeing of papers is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome by dipping or hikizome by brushing).

To dye paper by soaking, the sheets are plucked one by one between two wooden sticks by their small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Usually three jars of dye are prepared with decreasing concentrations. The paper is dipped in the less concentrated dye jar and oxidation occurs in the air; the paper is then soaked in the little bit more concentrated dye. After oxidation, the sheet is dipped into the third jar with the strongest concentration. The process can be repeated several times to obtain a color more or less intense. The sheet is dried by exposing the surface to air; the color changes by oxidation.

The plant is cut at ground level when it is in bloom and the leaves are turning to a reddish color because indigo content is at its highest. It will bloom again three months later and it is possible to make a second and third cut.

Direct method : The plant is used immediately: the plants are fermented in a vat of hot water for bacterial activity. Lime or ashes are added to keep a fixed alkaline rate. The dyeing is done directly in the bath.

Shell method : The fresh plant is crushed, drained and shaped into balls (shells or aidama) which are dried. These shells to be used then, are crushed and fermentation is reactivated by adding warm water. It is then up to the first process.
Indigo starch method : The plants are fermented in a tank covered with a thin layer of water. Fermentation can last up to 20 hours depending on ambient temperature. The liquid is then collected and filtered. It is whipped to make him absorb oxygen and oxidized which will permit its flocculation. The precipitation is done by adding an alkali (caustic lime or ash). The deposit is washed, boiled and filtered; it is called indigo starch, the dough is then shaped into loaves.

Dyeing of papers is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome by dipping or hikizome by brushing).

To dye paper by soaking, the sheets are plucked one by one between two wooden sticks by their small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Usually three jars of dye are prepared with decreasing concentrations. The paper is dipped in the less concentrated dye jar and oxidation occurs in the air; the paper is then soaked in the little bit more concentrated dye. After oxidation, the sheet is dipped into the third jar with the strongest concentration. The process can be repeated several times to obtain a color more or less intense. The sheet is dried by exposing the surface to air; the color changes by oxidation.

Harvesting begins when the leaves have fallen in November, December. The branches are cut into equal pieces of one meter in length to form bundles. These bundles are placed in an oven for two to three hours to facilitate the peeling of the bark. The bark at this stage is called "black bark" because of its outside layer to be removed before ensiling. It is scraped with a knife.
The bark is then rinsed and allowed to dry on rack. The bark is ready to make paper after two or three years of storage.
Before cooking, the bark can be bleached: it is exposed to sunlight in the cold water of a river or on the snow. Cooking in an alkaline solution allows the removal of lignin, pectins, gums and waxes, which would block the separation of fibers during the beating. Alcaline solutions are either wood ash or alkaline chemicals (sodium hydroxide or lime). Cooking lasts about two hours but the duration varies depending on the age of the bark and the alkali used. After cooking the barks are rinsed to remove alkali residues. Removing of foreign particles is done by hands in cold water.

The pulp is then beaten manually with mallets or sticks, or in the Japanese hollander, the naginata.
The pulp is poured into a wooden tub already filled with water and the dispersing agent is added to the paste which is whipped using a wooden rake.
Two methods are used to make the sheet: nagashizuki or tamezuki. In the tamezuki method  the amount of needed pulp is taken at once to form the sheet. In the nagashizuki method the sheet is made by superimposing layers of fibers successively until the desired thickness.
The sheets are laid one by one on a board equipped with marks, with or without spacer (thread, stems) for better separation after pressing. The pressing is done by placing the paper stack under load or in a lever press, at the end of the workday; it lasts usually one night.  To make them dry, the sheets are brushed on wooden boards which will be placed outdoors or indoors. Currently heated metal plates are also used.
Finally, the sheets are sorted and usually trimmed with a knife using a template.

The plant is cut at ground level when it is in bloom and the leaves are turning to a reddish color because indigo content is at its highest. It will bloom again three months later and it is possible to make a second and third cut.

Direct method : The plant is used immediately: the plants are fermented in a vat of hot water for bacterial activity. Lime or ashes are added to keep a fixed alkaline rate. The dyeing is done directly in the bath.

Shell method : The fresh plant is crushed, drained and shaped into balls (shells or aidama) which are dried. These shells to be used then, are crushed and fermentation is reactivated by adding warm water. It is then up to the first process.
Indigo starch method : The plants are fermented in a tank covered with a thin layer of water. Fermentation can last up to 20 hours depending on ambient temperature. The liquid is then collected and filtered. It is whipped to make him absorb oxygen and oxidized which will permit its flocculation. The precipitation is done by adding an alkali (caustic lime or ash). The deposit is washed, boiled and filtered; it is called indigo starch, the dough is then shaped into loaves.

Dyeing of papers is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome by dipping or hikizome by brushing).

To dye paper by soaking, the sheets are plucked one by one between two wooden sticks by their small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Usually three jars of dye are prepared with decreasing concentrations. The paper is dipped in the less concentrated dye jar and oxidation occurs in the air; the paper is then soaked in the little bit more concentrated dye. After oxidation, the sheet is dipped into the third jar with the strongest concentration. The process can be repeated several times to obtain a color more or less intense. The sheet is dried by exposing the surface to air; the color changes by oxidation.

The plant is cut at ground level when it is in bloom and the leaves are turning to a reddish color because indigo content is at its highest. It will bloom again three months later and it is possible to make a second and third cut.

Direct method : The plant is used immediately: the plants are fermented in a vat of hot water for bacterial activity. Lime or ashes are added to keep a fixed alkaline rate. The dyeing is done directly in the bath.

Shell method : The fresh plant is crushed, drained and shaped into balls (shells or aidama) which are dried. These shells to be used then, are crushed and fermentation is reactivated by adding warm water. It is then up to the first process.
Indigo starch method : The plants are fermented in a tank covered with a thin layer of water. Fermentation can last up to 20 hours depending on ambient temperature. The liquid is then collected and filtered. It is whipped to make him absorb oxygen and oxidized which will permit its flocculation. The precipitation is done by adding an alkali (caustic lime or ash). The deposit is washed, boiled and filtered; it is called indigo starch, the dough is then shaped into loaves.

Dyeing of papers is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome by dipping or hikizome by brushing).

To dye paper by soaking, the sheets are plucked one by one between two wooden sticks by their small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Usually three jars of dye are prepared with decreasing concentrations. The paper is dipped in the less concentrated dye jar and oxidation occurs in the air; the paper is then soaked in the little bit more concentrated dye. After oxidation, the sheet is dipped into the third jar with the strongest concentration. The process can be repeated several times to obtain a color more or less intense. The sheet is dried by exposing the surface to air; the color changes by oxidation.

The plant is cut at ground level when it is in bloom and the leaves are turning to a reddish color because indigo content is at its highest. It will bloom again three months later and it is possible to make a second and third cut.

Direct method : The plant is used immediately: the plants are fermented in a vat of hot water for bacterial activity. Lime or ashes are added to keep a fixed alkaline rate. The dyeing is done directly in the bath.

Shell method : The fresh plant is crushed, drained and shaped into balls (shells or aidama) which are dried. These shells to be used then, are crushed and fermentation is reactivated by adding warm water. It is then up to the first process.
Indigo starch method : The plants are fermented in a tank covered with a thin layer of water. Fermentation can last up to 20 hours depending on ambient temperature. The liquid is then collected and filtered. It is whipped to make him absorb oxygen and oxidized which will permit its flocculation. The precipitation is done by adding an alkali (caustic lime or ash). The deposit is washed, boiled and filtered; it is called indigo starch, the dough is then shaped into loaves.

Dyeing of papers is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome by dipping or hikizome by brushing).

To dye paper by soaking, the sheets are plucked one by one between two wooden sticks by their small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Usually three jars of dye are prepared with decreasing concentrations. The paper is dipped in the less concentrated dye jar and oxidation occurs in the air; the paper is then soaked in the little bit more concentrated dye. After oxidation, the sheet is dipped into the third jar with the strongest concentration. The process can be repeated several times to obtain a color more or less intense. The sheet is dried by exposing the surface to air; the color changes by oxidation.

The plant is cut at ground level when it is in bloom and the leaves are turning to a reddish color because indigo content is at its highest. It will bloom again three months later and it is possible to make a second and third cut.

Direct method : The plant is used immediately: the plants are fermented in a vat of hot water for bacterial activity. Lime or ashes are added to keep a fixed alkaline rate. The dyeing is done directly in the bath.

Shell method : The fresh plant is crushed, drained and shaped into balls (shells or aidama) which are dried. These shells to be used then, are crushed and fermentation is reactivated by adding warm water. It is then up to the first process.
Indigo starch method : The plants are fermented in a tank covered with a thin layer of water. Fermentation can last up to 20 hours depending on ambient temperature. The liquid is then collected and filtered. It is whipped to make him absorb oxygen and oxidized which will permit its flocculation. The precipitation is done by adding an alkali (caustic lime or ash). The deposit is washed, boiled and filtered; it is called indigo starch, the dough is then shaped into loaves.

Dyeing of papers is performed in two ways: pulp dyeing (sukizome) or sheet dyeing (hitashizome by dipping or hikizome by brushing).

To dye paper by soaking, the sheets are plucked one by one between two wooden sticks by their small side. This will keep the sheet flat during soaking.

Usually three jars of dye are prepared with decreasing concentrations. The paper is dipped in the less concentrated dye jar and oxidation occurs in the air; the paper is then soaked in the little bit more concentrated dye. After oxidation, the sheet is dipped into the third jar with the strongest concentration. The process can be repeated several times to obtain a color more or less intense. The sheet is dried by exposing the surface to air; the color changes by oxidation.