Stool 60 Aizome

Stool 60 Aizome brings together Alvar Aalto’s iconic design with a traditional plant-based Japanese colouring technique. Indigo dyeing, or “aizome” in Japanese, is a popular process used to create denim and is now applied to turn the stool a characteristic deep blue. Often used in fashion and textile design, the tradition of indigo dyeing is deeply rooted in the Japanese conscious and the vibrant colour it produces is also known as “Japanese blue”. To create this version of Stool 60, Artek partnered with indigo-dye specialist BUAISOU from the Tokushima prefecture. The indigo they use is among the most difficult dyes to produce, highly prized for its beauty, depth of colour and resistance to running. Employing a technique known as “Jigoku date”, which translates as “producing hell”, wood lye, bran and shell-ash are mixed, before fermentation. Stool 60 is dipped in this indigo bath, resulting in a strongly pigmented, deep blue surface that still allows the natural grain of the wood to shine through. A numbered edition of 100 Stool 60 Aizome is available with a protective natural lacquer finish. A further 10 stools are dyed without protective lacquer. Available in Japan only.