BUAISOU Pin Cushion

A handcrafted pin cushion from BUAISOU, introduced in amirisu Issue 13.

The hollowed wooden box is made of Japanese cedar, while the cushion — made from 100% sheep's wool — is covered in indigo-dyed cotton velveteen. The raw wool contains a small amount of oil which acts as an anticorrosive, protecting the needles from rust.

Materials
Wood: Japanese cedar (color & appearance of wood grain may differ from photos)
Cushion fabric: 100% Cotton
Cushion interior: 100% Wool
Size: 3" W x 2" D x 1" H (8cm W x 5cm D x 1"/ 2.1cm H)
Made in Japan

The cotton velveteen has been dyed in a SUKUMO indigo vat in Tokushima prefecture, renowned for indigo leaf farming. The prefecture is also known for its tradition of composting indigo leaves into SUKUMO. The indigo vat, which we commonly call  "The Hell Vat," is fermented only with four elements: SUKUMO, ash lye, calcium hydroxide, and wheat bran; therefore, is purely organic. After a series of meticulous treatments, the fabrics and threads dyed with this method are finally reborn to shine with deep, luminous "Japan Blue."