What is “Hybrid Indigo Leather” (KIWAMI)?

Hybrid Indigo Leather is a new type of synthetic leather that has been dyed with traditional Japanese Indigo-dye, and is the result of many years of research by the engineers at Tozando.

It was once said, that trying to dye synthetic leather using genuine Indigo-dye would be an impossible task. But the engineers at Tozando succeeded in creating the “Hybrid Indigo Leather”, a new material that is completely different from the chemically-dyed synthetic leather that is widely used in the Bogu industry today.

The technique of dyeing synthetic leather with Indigo-dye was perfected by Tozando. What makes it so special, is the beautiful and elegant color of genuine Indigo-dye. This color was previously not achievable on synthetic materials, but now the Indigo color of the Hybrid Indigo Leather is as brilliant or even more so than Deerskin, without dye bleed or discoloration, it will always keep the characteristic Indigo-dye color of your Bogu at it’s optimal state.

Compared to natural leather, Hybrid Indigo Leather is also 50% lighter, and also more durable than current materials. This allows us to make lighter Bogu that are easier to move in, which in turn allows you to speed up your game and wear your Bogu for longer periods of time without getting your stamina drained by wearing heavy equipment.

We have also incorporated cutting-edge technology into the base material of the synthetic leather itself. To counter unwanted odor, the Hybrid Indigo Leather has anti-bacterial properties, and is also very breathable, able to absorb and evaporate moisture much faster than natural leather. It is also thinner and lighter than Orizashi cotton, even though the durability is better than current materials at the same thickness. Truly the ultimate material for Bogu in every word and sense.

The beautiful grid pattern that can be seen on high quality Hand-stitched Bogu will fade with time, however the pattern on a Bogu made with Hybrid Indigo Leather will not. While the lines drawn on deerskin can be erased and re-done as needed, on the Hybrid Indigo Leather, it is close to permanent once the line has been drawn by the craftsman. This puts the skill of the craftsman to the test, with no room for error, each Futon is skillfully handcrafted by the master craftsmen at Tozando.