Adire is a language written in indigo

Adire describes several resist-dye techniques rather than one fixed look. Makers may tie, stitch or paint resist paste before dyeing, producing repeated marks that can identify a workshop, a period or an individual hand.

The current revival has put adire on shirts, tailoring, interiors and international runways. Authenticity matters: printed imitations can reproduce the surface, but not the knowledge and labour of the dyer.