Updated: Apr 27, 2023
The Japanese natural dyer and textile historian Sachio Yoshioka unexpectedly passed away on 30th September in Aichi prefecture, Japan.
Yoshioka dedicated his life to reviving and preserving techniques of natural dyeing, giving lectures and workshops in Japan and internationally. Yoshioka wrote many books on the topic - one of the most famous being The Dictionary of Japanese Colours, which explains the narrative behind 466 colours that originated in Japan.
Yoshioka succeeded as the fifth-generation head of Kyoto’s Somenotsukasa Yoshioka dye workshop in 1988. When he took over the family business he abandoned the use of synthetic colours in favour of dyeing solely with plants and other natural materials. The workshop uses only plants and other natural materials to produce a wide range of extremely beautiful colours.
