Peel Back the Indigo: Citrus Kasuri Selvedge

Mar 6, 2026

By Geneviève Boucher

Some textile techniques exist primarily as methods of creating pattern before weaving begins. Kasuri is one of them. The Citrus Kasuri Selvedge is a 14oz Japanese selvedge denim that applies this resist-dye technique to the weft yarns before the fabric is woven. Indigo rope-dyed warp yarns form the exterior surface of the denim, while the interior contains Kasuri-dyed weft yarns with alternating yellow and green segments. This process produces a vibrant citrus-toned interior that remains hidden beneath the indigo surface until wear begins to reveal it. . After a long winter, those citrus tones beneath the indigo hints that spring is on the way.

Kasuri Dyeing

Kasuri (絣) refers to textiles woven using yarns that are resist-dyed before weaving in order to create patterns within the cloth. It belongs to the broader family of ikat dyeing techniques practiced in different parts of the world.

Ikat-style resist dyeing was practiced in the Ryukyu Kingdom (present-day Okinawa) as early as the 12th or 13th century. By the 14th century, Kasuri textiles were already being exported from the region.

To produce Kasuri yarn, sections of the yarn are tightly wrapped with thread to prevent dye from reaching those areas. The exposed portions absorb dye while the wrapped sections remain undyed. After dyeing, the bindings are removed and different sections of the yarn may be wrapped again before repeating the process. Through multiple dye stages, the yarn develops alternating colored segments along its length.

When these yarns are woven, the dyed sections rarely align perfectly, creating the slightly blurred patterns characteristic of Kasuri textiles. Patterning may be applied to the warp, the weft, or both. For the Citrus Kasuri Selvedge, the Kasuri dyeing is applied to the weft yarn alternating yellow and green segments created through this resist-dye process.

As the denim wears, the indigo warp gradually fades toward white. In areas of heavier abrasion, where the warp yarns break or wear through, the citrus-colored Kasuri weft becomes visible beneath the surface of the fabric.

Fabric and Construction

The Citrus Kasuri Selvedge is a 14oz Japanese selvedge denim woven from 100% cotton yarns.

The warp yarns are rope dyed with indigo prior to weaving, producing a dark indigo exterior surface. The weft yarn undergoes a Kasuri dye process before weaving in which alternating sections of the yarn are dyed yellow and green.

Because the color variation occurs along the length of a single yarn rather than between separate yarns, the interior surface displays irregular citrus-colored patterning rather than uniform horizontal striping.

During wear, abrasion gradually removes indigo from the warp yarns, exposing sections of the colored weft yarn beneath. Areas of frequent friction reveal the Kasuri coloration over time.

Kasuri preparation requires multiple stages of binding and dyeing before weaving begins, making the yarn production process more labor intensive than standard solid-dyed weft yarns.

Details and Finishing

The denim is woven on shuttle looms in Japan, with a white with green and yellow speckles / red / white selvedge edge. Each pair features a natural vegetable-tanned leather patch that darkens through exposure and wear. All garments are cut and sewn in Canada.