Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria), also known as true indigo, takes its name from the ancient Greek word meaning “from India.” Its harvesting is a culturally sacred tradition in India, carried out three times a year. For generations, farmers have approached this work as an act of worship :where labour, land, and devotion are inseparable.
Indigo holds deep spiritual significance in Hindu culture. Many deities are associated with the colour blue; Kaali and Krishna are often depicted in indigo hues, symbolising the infinite cosmos. In India, indigo is not just a colour. It is revered as a Blue Goddess.
One of the most remarkable aspects of traditional indigo harvesting and dyeing is its complete harmony with nature. The process is entirely zero-waste. After dye extraction, the indigo leaves are returned to the fields as compost, enriching the soil. The water used during dyeing is reused for irrigation, acting as a natural nitrogen fixer that nourishes future crops.
Indigo also played a powerful role in India’s political history. In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi led his first non-violent Satyagraha movement in response to the exploitation of indigo farmers under British colonial rule. Forced cultivation and industrialisation were eroding India’s cultural identity, stripping farmers and artisans of their livelihoods and connection to the land. Indigo that was once a symbol of India’s self-sufficiency became the heart of this resistance. Gandhi stood alongside indigo farmers and makers, igniting a movement that would eventually lead to Indian independence.
For centuries, Indigofera was the only known source of long-lasting blue dye. Revered as a royal colour, indigo ranges from soft sky blues to deep, almost-black midnight tones.
The Process of Making Natural Indigo Bricks
Sustainable indigo dyeing begins with harvesting Indigofera leaves from nearby fields. The plants are cut just before their pink flowers bloom, when they reach about 10 cm in height. The freshly picked leaves are bundled together and submerged in large tanks of water, where they are left to ferment.
Once fermentation is complete, the leaves are removed and the liquid is drained into a second tank. Here, oxidation begins, and the pigment slowly settles at the bottom, revealing a luminous greenish-blue sediment. To strengthen the dye, the liquid is traditionally aerated by rhythmically kicking the tank for up to four hours, a method now largely replaced by machinery.
Natural indigo use and production drastically declined since the 19th century, with the industrial revolution with the discovery of cheaper and faster alternatives. Few Indigo plants remain and plantations have been replaced with rice. Fortunately there is a small group of artisans from India, Japan and few other places in the world that are not ready to give up on this important part of their culture and are returning to the craft of cultivating Indigo.
Today, only a few Indigofera plants remain. Yet across India, Japan, and a handful of other places around the world, small groups of dedicated artisans refuse to let this knowledge fade. They continue to cultivate, harvest, and dye with natural indigo, preserving an ancient practice deeply tied to land, ritual, and identity.
This living tradition is at the heart of our Constellation Collection. The hand-spun and hand-woven cotton used in these pieces is yarn-dyed with natural indigo, honouring the slow, intentional rhythms of traditional craft. From the Constellation Dress and Wrap Constellation Dress to the Indigo Shirt and Wrap Pants, each piece carries the depth of indigo’s history woven with care, coloured by time, and rooted in reverence for the earth.
COSTELLATION BLOCK PRINTED SARONG:
CONSTELLATION INDIGO DRESS EMBRODERIED:
