Circle of Color - "Circulation of Nature and Aesthetic Consciousness" in LOHAS Dyeing (2006-2007)

Circle of Color - "Circulation of Nature and Aesthetic Consciousness" in LOHAS Dyeing (2006-2007)
In the mid-2000s, the concept of "LOHAS" became widespread in Japanese society, and there was a flourishing movement to bring environmental awareness back into the culture of daily life. Symbolic of this movement is the "LOHAS Dyeing" by Tsuyakin Kogyo of Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture. This technique of dyeing cloth with natural dyes extracted from food waste has attracted attention not only as an eco-technology, but also as an ideological practice that reconnects human sensibilities with nature. Soybean meal, azuki beans, chestnuts, and other materials used for dyes were originally discarded, but they were reborn as soft colors, and "living colors" were respected rather than uniformity. The "mottainai" spirit that has existed since the Edo period (1603-1868) and the Japanese aesthetic of imitating the natural order of things are still alive today.
At the same time, the 3R policy promoted by the Ministry of the Environment and the eco-design movement in the fashion industry were in sync, and "LOHAS dyeing" was recognized as an expression of a new era that combined environmental consideration and aesthetics. Iyakin Kogyo converted waste into fuel and transformed the factory itself into a recycling-oriented model. As an attempt to blend science and art, ethics and design, it became a symbol of a sustainable future.