Indigo was the foundation of centuries-old textile traditions throughout West Africa. Studio One Eighty Nine collaborates with communities in Mali to create Indigo textiles. Indigo dye is a natural dye extracted from plants with a distinctive blue color. Our artisans dye fabric into different print patterns using this technique. The fabric is then transported to Ghana and used by our tailors and seamstresses to create our patchwork fabric.

We use patchwork as a means of recycling and breathing new life into fabric snippets that we collect from the production process. Every 6 yards of patchwork is harmoniously laid out and designed before stitching. This makes each piece unique. The patchwork is then used to create our Indigo Patchwork Kimono. Sustainability is key to how we work and patchwork adds a rich beauty to the sustainable culture we embrace. It takes 5 artisans one day to patchwork 6 yards of fabric. The journey from plant to dyed yarn to woven indigo cotton to a patchwork kimono work of art involves many steps and artisans. This allows us to create jobs, increase income and education opportunities along the way.