![]() This is the method by which the Indian people have been deriving indigo for thousands of years. The end result is filtered to remove any impurities and then dried to form a thick paste. The settled indigotin is transferred to yet another tank, the third tank, and heated to halt the fermentation process. As the indigotin settles to the bottom of the second tank, the liquid is siphoned away. ![]() The resulting mix is stirred with paddles to incorporate air into it, which allows the brew to oxidize the indoxyl to indigotin. The first round of fermentation takes around 14 hours, after which the liquid is drained into the second tank, a step down from the first. As the process takes place, it gives off carbon dioxide and the contents of the tank turn a dirty yellow. The highest tank is where the fresh leaves are placed along with an enzyme called indimulsin, which breaks the indicant down into indoxyl and glucose. First, a series of tanks are set up step-like from highest to lowest. The ancient practice of extracting indicant and converting it to indigo involves the fermentation of the leaves. The chemical responsible for the dye is called indicant. The dye in the leaves doesn’t actually exist until it is manipulated. In order to make indigo dye, you need leaves from a variety of plant species such as indigo, woad, and polygonum. In 1905, Baeyer was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery and blue jeans were saved from extinction. ![]() In the course of his experimentation, he found out that he could replicate the color synthetically and the rest is history. In 1883, Adolf von Baeyer (yes, the aspirin guy) began to investigate the chemical structure of indigo. Because making indigo dye takes a lot, and I mean A LOT of leaves, demand began to exceed supply and so an alternative began being sought after. During the industrial revolution, demand dyeing with indigo reached its zenith due to the popularity of Levi Strauss blue denim jeans. The birthplace of dye from indigo plants is India, where the dye paste is dried into cakes for ease of transportation and sale. Most cultures have their own recipes and techniques, often accompanied by spiritual rites, to create natural indigo dye. The process of turning green leaves into bright blue dye through fermentation has been passed down for thousands of years.
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