Indigo dyeing is an ancient art that has existed for thousands of years in different parts of the world, including India, Korea, and Mexico. It uses a dye—called jjok or zzok (쪽) in Korean—known for its deep blue color created from the leaves of indigo plants. Last year, while searching for more information on Korean indigo online, I discovered Kindigo, a company based in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, that has been promoting Korean indigo since 2012. It offers Korean indigo dyeing workshops; conducts relevant research; runs a studio; develops and sells a variety of handcrafted products with Korean indigo; and operates a farm, where it cultivates indigenous Korean indigo plants in an eco-friendly manner, produces niram (Korean traditional indigo paste), and uses dyeing techniques without harmful chemicals.

In July, Kindigo held its 2024 Indigo Festival, celebrating Korean indigo through various activities, such as an exhibit, an indigo farm experience, workshops, and more. I couldn’t participate in the event, as I am in the Philippines. So in the meantime, I decided to contact its CEO and founder, Su-ju Jang, to know more about Korean indigo, Kindigo, and the Indigo Festival. In an e-mail interview with her from July 23 to August 2, 2024, with the help of Kindigo team member Euna Lee, who provided assistance with the English translations, I learned that aside from being the CEO, Jang is also the head indigo dyer of Kindigo, and she has been practicing Korean indigo dyeing for almost two decades.

Participants of Kindigo's farming experience at the Indigo Festival in July 2024 place newly harvested indigo plants in rubber containers to prepare them for the fermentation process.

Below are excerpts from my interview with Jang:

How long have you been practicing the art of Korean indigo dyeing? When and how did your interest in Korean indigo dyeing begin?

I've always been passionate about finding ways to live in harmony with nature and the environment. I wanted to give children, who are born into a world surrounded by artificially made plastic, asphalt, and cement, the chance to connect with nature. This led me to start teaching about nature and ecology. In 1999, I ran a "nature school" (자연학교), where I took children into the mountains and fields to experience nature and protect living things. During my continuous quest for healthier food and clothing, I met indigo dyeing.

I started practicing indigo dyeing around 2005. Among various natural dyes, traditional "fermentation indigo dyeing" stood out because it requires minimal water and heat, and produces no waste during the dyeing process. I liked the fact that I could start dyeing from my own sustainable farming rather than exhausting natural resources. It's the most sustainable dyeing method I could find, and I fell in love with its beautiful color.

In Korea, indigo dyeing has a long history, with records dating back to the Dangun era (Gojoseon). Unfortunately, this tradition was nearly lost during the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War, but it was revived in the 1970s. Since native seeds would also disappear if not continuously cultivated, I felt a strong sense of duty to carry on this work.

Su-ju Jang is the CEO and head indigo dyer of Kindigo, a local brand committed to fostering traditional Korean indigo dyeing.

What led to your establishment of Kindigo? 

I established Kindigo to introduce people to natural indigo dyeing and to provide a healthier lifestyle.

Indigo dyeing using fermentation is quite different from regular natural dyeing, which normally involves boiling to extract color. Fermentation dyeing requires specific "dyeing vat conditions," and if the environment isn't right, no matter how much dye you have, the process won't work. This method is known to be complex and challenging. In Korea, indigo dyeing requires a high level of skill and knowledge, so much so that indigo dyeing craftsmen have been designated as a "Living Cultural Heritage" (National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 115).

Due to the intricate and slow process, it became common to use harmful chemicals in indigo dyeing within the natural dyeing field. Such methods not only destroy the beneficial properties of indigo plants, but are also harmful to our bodies and the environment. The chemicals used can be so harsh that you shouldn't handle them barehanded.

We insist on using the traditional Korean method of fermentation with harmless materials like makgeolli (Korean rice wine) and shell ash. I wanted to raise awareness about this natural fermentation method because many people are unfamiliar with it. Initially, I focused on one-day classes and education, but there were limitations as an individual. Thus, I founded Kindigo, which allowed us to actively engage in product development, research, and cultural community activities.

On the website of Kindigo, it says that every stage of your production process is done by hand. Why is this important to Kindigo? 

We work with natural indigo in a way that is healthy for both people and nature. During our programs, we let people practice indigo dyeing with their bare hands. We want people to experience indigo dyeing that is really safe and natural.

People who practice natural indigo fermentation often have hands stained blue, which is a source of pride. If there's no blue on your nails, it means you haven't been working much. You can't get these blue hands from dangerous dyeing methods that require rubber gloves.

This photo taken in 2019 shows Kindigo CEO Su-ju Jang's hands stained with a deep blue color from working with Korean indigo dye. (Kindigo)

Additionally, in today's world of mass production and mechanization, we want to highlight the value of handmade processes. We pursue a slow but sustainable lifestyle. Products from Kindigo are made in collaboration with local producers, not mass-produced in factories. 

It also says on Kindigo's website that you work with various non-governmental organizations, including Zzokbitnara, Korea Natural Indigo Cooperative Association, and Indigo Village in Icheon. Could you please briefly describe how working with them helps with maintaining and developing Korean indigo dyeing culture?

Indigo dyeing begins with farming (raw material production), so it requires cooperation among farmers, dyers, artisans, and consumers who appreciate the value and benefits of indigo. I believe expanding a culture requires collective effort.

Kindigo is creating a national community of indigo dyers through the Korea Natural Indigo Cooperative Association. Zzokbitnara is run by my mentor (my indigo teacher) Master Sung-dong Kim, with whom I've been working closely to establish and grow the cooperative. Craft and dyeing work often involves solitary effort, with many artisans working alone in different regions. To foster communication, growth, and motivation among indigo dyers scattered across the country, we continuously work with communities.

In your indigo workshops and festivals, do you have both local and foreign participants?

While most of the participants are Korean, we do have many foreign participants who visit every year due to their interest in indigo. Since there are not many places where you can experience the entire process, from farming, dye extraction, and fermentation to dyeing, we constantly receive inquiries and interest from foreigners. Some even come to Korea specifically to learn indigo dyeing, not just those who are already residing here.

What feedback do you usually receive from the participants about Korean indigo and their experiences with Kindigo's activities? 

Participants are often amazed by the beauty of the color. When you dip a fabric in the indigo vat, it doesn't show much color, but when you take it out and leave it exposed to air, it transforms into a blue like magic! Many people are moved by witnessing this process until the beautiful color appears.

People are also surprised by how generously we share our knowledge and techniques at Kindigo. We openly share everything, including the techniques that other places might keep confidential. Many participants have mentioned that they felt their thirst for knowledge, which couldn't be satisfied in other classes, was finally quenched after attending Kindigo.

We believe that greater expansion and development occur when knowledge is shared openly, rather than kept secret. We didn't want the culture of Korean indigo dyeing to fade away as something only we knew about.

Participants of an indigo dyeing class held by Kindigo during its recent "2024 Indigo Festival" in July 2024 hang their fabrics dyed with Korean indigo.

What is Kindigo's biggest accomplishment so far, and why? 

One of our biggest accomplishments is scientifically proving the benefits of indigo. While it was known that indigo was good for the skin and body, this was mainly based on ancient texts. There was no scientific basis for its modern application. Recently, while pursuing my PhD, I researched the anti-inflammatory properties of chung-dae, an indigo pigment derived from the indigo plant. I published a research paper titled "Anti-inflammatory Effect and Metabolite Analysis of Fermented Korean Indigo (Jjok) Extract, Chung-Dae (indigo naturalis)" (쪽 발효 추출물 청대의 항염증 효과와 대사체 분석) in 2021. 

Moreover, through our "indigo master's program," we are training the next generation to continue this tradition, which I consider one of our most significant achievements.

Could you please share a memorable experience you've had at Kindigo?

A memorable experience was introducing Korean indigo abroad. In 2018, we held an exhibition and workshop in Paris, France. The workshop tickets got sold out, and the participants loved it. I remember seeking permission from the venue a week in advance to make indigo fermentation vats and diligently fermenting them for the workshop. At that time, we were selected for a startup acceleration program, which typically features IT startups, making Kindigo's selection even more remarkable. It was gratifying to see our commitment to sustainable production recognized as an innovation.

What are Kindigo's future plans?

I aim to create an "Indigo Village" where people can experience and participate in the entire indigo dyeing process. This village will offer eco-friendly food, tea and meditation sessions, and a sustainable lifestyle experience. I hope it becomes a "mecca" for indigo dyeing enthusiasts from around the world, a place where they can stay, learn, and exchange ideas.

What do you want Koreans and people around the world to know about Korean indigo? 

Indigo is not a plant unique to Korea. Different regions have various indigo dye plants belonging to different families, and each country has its own species and methods for indigo dyeing, resulting in unique colors.

I hope the color, techniques, and value of Korean indigo become well-known worldwide. I wish for the color "Korean Blue" or "Korean Indigo" to spread across the globe.