In a time when new human-made innovations appear almost daily, the Sekai collection serves as a tribute to the past—a reminder of our roots. The World Tree – Olive Wood was created to honor the olive tree’s deep significance in ancient Greece. Now, with the Sekai Ai, the spirits of Japan and Greece come together, creating something even more powerful than either alone.
The Sekai Ai uses the base of Olive Wood and is dyed into a distinct shade of blue, as it is a culturally significant color, and it represents how Japanese culture strengthens their ties with their heritage. As each pen is separately dyed, the shade of blue will never be exactly the same, which makes the already-unique Olive Wood material even more difficult to copy. This indigo dyeing process known as Aizome was chosen instead of using ordinary paint is to honor the wood's natural grain and pattern, which paint would otherwise conceal. Aizome makes it appear as if the wood itself was originally blue.
Craftmanship
Aizome is the traditional art of indigo (or blue) dyeing, which has been preserved for several centuries across the entirety of Japan. What differentiates Japan's dyeing technique is twofold: material and heritage.
Unlike many other modern dyeing techniques, the masters of the Aizome technique pride themselves on achieving the vibrant blue hues without any mixture of man-made chemical substances. Instead, each House (the term for a group of artisans with the same technique) has their own fermentation and oxidation technique that negates the need for any other chemicals, and the blue color itself is sourced from the indigo plant native to the Japanese countryside.
The Sekai Ai was dyed in Takada after receiving instruction from the Aizome Masters of Nakatsu - a castle town in Oita Prefecture renowned for its mastery over this artform. This is where the importance of heritage is most apparent. As with most artforms, there are different styles, interpretations, and even secrets.
In regards to Aizome, this can vary between the specific temperature used in the oxidation process to the exact amount of dye to extract from the indigo plant, and the results have a direct impact on the shade of blue, as well as its vibrancy (or lack thereof).
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