Katazome

Stencil dyeing using carved paper stencils and rice paste resist.

Katazome is a traditional Japanese resist-dyeing technique using hand-cut paper stencils (katagami) and rice-paste resist to create patterns on fabric. The process involves placing a stencil on cloth, applying resist paste through the design, dyeing the fabric, and then washing away the paste to reveal crisp patterns. Katazome bridges the gap between folk craft and fine art, producing everything from repeating patterns for kimono fabric to bold pictorial designs by individual artist-dyers.