Feature of Japanese clerodendrum

About Harlequin glorybower dyeig

The plant is commonly known as kusagi (literally, “malodorous tree”) due to the unpleasant odor emitted by its leaves. During the summer, it produces distinctive inflorescences consisting of white corollas with vivid red calyces, and in autumn, it bears striking blue drupes. These blue fruits are harvested individually and used as a source of natural dye. Kusagi is one of the rare botanical sources capable of producing blue hues in dyeing. It was also traditionally employed in a preparatory dyeing technique known as aosarashi (“blue exposure”), which involves a preliminary treatment to enhance colorfastness and hue stability. In addition to its use in textile dyeing, the plant has been cited in traditional medicine for its potential antihypertensive properties, suggesting possible efficacy in reducing high blood pressure.

Method of Harlequin glorybower dyeing

The dyeing process is carried out using a mordanting method. Crushed fruits of Clerodendrum trichotomum are placed in a stainless steel pot with water and simmered to extract the dye solution. After approximately 15 minutes, the decoction is filtered through cloth, and this extraction process is repeated three to four times to obtain sufficient dye liquor.
When dyeing plant-based fibers, a preliminary treatment is performed using soy milk (tōjiru) or similar proteinaceous solutions to improve dye adherence. This is followed by aluminum mordanting using the pre-mordanting method, in which an alum solution is applied to the fabric prior to dyeing. The textile is then repeatedly immersed in the dye bath to gradually build up the desired color through multiple applications.

Color difference of Harlequin glorybower dyeing

Dyeing archive

2021.11.10　Dyeing of silk yarn

Potassium alum is used for aluminum mordanting; dyeing is done in two batches at 80°C to prevent unevenness.