For hundreds of years the people living in the remote river valleys of an autonomous prefecture in Southwest China have been sporting an amazingly durable, comfy, cool looking, and—they would say—lucky fabric.  Dyed with the indigo that grows in the nearby wooded mountains, then treated with a secret combo of tree bark, rice wine, rice husk ash, egg whites and one can only guess what else.

It's beaten with wooden mallets on stones along the riverbank by hearty women with sparkling eyes, glowing-weathered skin, and blue-stained hands.  The whole process, from picking to pickling and pummeling, can take up to a year, but it's worth it. The end result is a plum-y navy burgundy tone that glows like a moonlit night and comes close enough to black it could be worn anywhere from Beijing to New York and garner the same envious stares.

Though the culture-proud craftsmen were sworn to secrecy during the People’s Revolution, they are now completely at liberty to work with us. For them, denim is child’s play, the Paris collections a trifle--entire villages, from the babies to the grand matriarchs, wear this extraordinary stuff for a lifetime without ever craving a change.

When fashion transcends fashion, style and substance are one and the same.

style:        SEMI-GLOSS
color:       PLUM
size:         10 yd x ~15.0” in     [9.1m x ~39 cm]
content:   100% Cotton
                 (dyed w organic indigo, tree bark, wild roots, rice wine, and/or egg whites)

use:          upholstery, cushion covers, wall panels, apparel, +
                (delicate finish - low impact use recommended)

weight:     4.1 oz/yd;  [126 g/m];  [161 grms / mtr2]
sample:     8" x 9” in     [20 x 23 cm]  

features:   =>  indigo dyed cotton with unique egg-whites calendar finishing
                 =>  variations in tone and finish describes fabrics character
                 =>  limited production crafted in remote rural SW China                

                 fabric care