Different Types of Amami-Ohshima Tsumugi
Amami-Ohshima tsumugi are characterized by a rich shiny black-brown color due to the combination of teichigi and mud dyeing which originated in the 18th century. In response to trends and societal needs, it has developed in diverse ways over the last fifty years. As a result, it became possible to create diverse colors through Ohshima tsumugi. There are five main categories of some (dyeing) in Amami-Ohshima Tsumugi.
| 1. Doro-ohshima: the traditional process of dyeing by Teichigi (Sharinbai) and doro (mud). The characteristics of this dorozome are a shiny texture with a deep black and brown color. |  |
| 2. Doroai-ohshima: a type of dyeing where the cloth is redyed with doro and teichigi after a first dye of Ai (Japanese indigo). Due to the combination of doro and ai, the background color is deep back and the design is indigo. |  |
| 3. Kusaki-dorozome Ohshima: developed from traditional natural dyes of plants other than Teichigi and Ai and redyed by Teichigi and Doro. |  |
| 4. Iro Ohshima: A new Ohshima fabric with a wide variety of brilliant colors from chemical dyes over a base of single solid colors. It is used for modern designs. |  |
| 5. Shiro Ohshima: Without dyeing the thread itself, colors are added to part of the design based on the background color of the silk. Often used for summer tsumugi. |  |