Indigo - 
a natural dye,
a clean process unlike the snail dyed cords.

According to Torah in the Book of Leviticus 11:11-12, we are not to touch the dead carcass of the unclean sea creatures that have not fins and scales.. it is an abomination to us..

Lev 11:10 ‘But all that have not fins and scales in the seas and in the rivers, all that move in the waters or any living creature which is in the waters, they are an abomination to you.
Lev 11:11 ‘They are an abomination to you – of their flesh you do not eat, and their carcasses you abominate.
Lev 11:12 ‘All that have not fins or scales in the waters is an abomination to you.

Indigo dye is made from a flower.

Why Choose Indigo? The reason Indigo is so favored among believers today is that it is a clean alternative to the unkosher snail (Murex trunculus) dye commonly used. (Lev 11:11-12) Scientifically, it is the same exact chemical make-up of the traditionally used snail dye, except instead of deriving from the blood, gland and flesh of an unclean sea creature, it is made from the natural Indigo plant Indigofera Tinctoria.

It is noted by the rabbinates that "Kela Ilan" (Indigofera Tinctoria) has consistently been identified as indigo (Aruch), which is blue. The blue dye obtained from the Murex trunculus snail is "molecularly equivalent" to the dye obtained from the kela ilan plant. (Royal Purple, p.175; Sterman, p.66). We love the indigo also because the blue shades vary from a deep navy blue to a light sky blue, depending on the length of time spent in the dye vats. All shades are equally beautiful and match the color of the sky at any time of the day or evening. Our blue cords are hand dyed in-house by us especially for you. Most of our cords available are a beautiful dark sky blue shade as pictured above.

NOTE: Our dying process includes one washing where the water runs clear. It is natural for indigo to "bleed" when washed and it also fades with each washing, just like Levi Jeans. We recommend washing your indigo dyed tzitzits separately from your garment by hand washing them in cold water only and with no detergent.
Even a mild detergent can cause the indigo to bleed and may stain a white garment. This is "normal" for natural Indigo. Washing in cold water and no detergent will preserve the dye on your cords for a longer duration of time.

Natural Indigo is perhaps the oldest dye known to man. The oldest historic texts speak of it, for example, in the colors chosen for the Tabernacle of the Arc of the Covenant. The oldest fragments of cloth are dyed with it. It is known to all cultures of the world.

The resulting shade of blue you can get on your cords depends on how strong your dye vat ( ratio: water/indigo) is and how long you leave the fiber being dyed in the vat.. shades vary according these conditions. below is a chart of the many shades of blue that are possible to achieve depending on the conditions of your vat and the length of time the fibre are left in the vat. If your shades come out too light of blue, you may choose to re-dye doing a second dip in the vat you have prepared after some air drying.

To Dye your own cords acquire yur undyed cord and indigo dye at Zipporah's Thimble  in the tzitzit section of the store.

Natural Indigo is one of the fastest dyes known to man. It was the original dye of "Levi's" blue jeans, a trademark color for durability. It is the only natural blue dye of permanence.

The dyeing process for Natural Indigo is different from that of other dyes. Most Natural Dyes are affixed using a metallic salt (a mordant), in a two-step process. Natural Indigo is fermented, then dyed in a process that affixes the Indigo as it oxidizes in the air.

Indigo dyeing is practiced today in Japan, Southern China, Tibet, India, Indonesia, Indo China, Africa, especially Nigeria, Southern Mexico and Guatemala, and it has recently been reintroduced to Turkey. Traditional fermentation methods are used. However, many of these cultures now use synthetic Indigo, manufactured from coal tar or petroleum.

Crystal Indigo (pictured left) is a partially fermented indigo vat, frozen and dehydrated during a critical period of the refining process. This is real indigo, captured at a crucial point in the indigo fermentation, dye release oxidation and refining process. It contains plant impurities. It is a natural plant product of Indigofera Tinctoria, and it contains natural indigo dye..