Fruit to Fabric: How Denim Has Adopted Ancient Persimmon-Based Dyes

Denim is most commonly associated with the color blue, but a traditional Japanese dyeing technique lends the textile a distinctly different hue.

The Kakishibu dyeing process dates back centuries. It gets its name from persimmons, “kaki” in Japanese. Unripe fruit from persimmon trees is picked and then peeled and fermented, which can take months or years. This process extracts tannins, organic compounds in the fruit, into the liquid.

Read more on Carved in Blue.

This article is one of a series on SJ Denim from Lenzing’s Carved in Blue denim blog. From conversations with the experts behind the mills that make some of the world’s most-wanted denim to the global brands bringing novel denim made with TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal to the market, Carved in Blue shares the stories of those whose roots run deep with denim. Visit www.carvedinblue.tencel.com.