Indigo Alive – Group 2 | Reviving Indigo Dyeing Through Digital Experience

Our project explores how traditional crafts can be rediscovered and reintroduced to a younger audience through digital tools and strategic communication.We focused on indigo dyeing, a unique and culturally rich practice that, despite its strong aesthetic and experiential value, remains largely invisible in today’s digital landscape.

One of the main challenges we identified is the lack of accessible information and visibility around indigo dyeing. During our research, we found that its presence on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok is extremely limited, while existing content is often fragmented, outdated, or not beginner-friendly.

It is also difficult for users to understand where they can experience indigo dyeing in real life, and there is almost no clear guidance on how to create patterns or prepare for the process.

As a result, this creative and meaningful activity remains largely inaccessible, especially for young users who rely on digital platforms to discover new experiences.

The Case

Our Group

To better understand the process and its value, we participated in a field trip where we experienced indigo dyeing ourselves. During this hands-on workshop, we created our own patterns and explored the full journey from preparation to the final outcome.

This experience helped us understand the complexity and beauty of the craft, while also revealing the strong emotional and cultural connection it holds for local communities.

We supported our insights through personas and empathy maps, identifying a target group of curious, creative users seeking hands-on and shareable experiences, but lacking access, guidance, and visibility.

Our Solution

Based on these insights, we designed a mobile app concept (HTML mockup) that makes indigo dyeing more accessible, understandable, and engaging. The platform allows users to learn about the craft, design their own patterns digitally, explore workshops, and book appointments, creating a seamless bridge between digital discovery and physical experience.

In addition, users can share their creations on social media, helping to organically increase visibility.

Try the prototype:

Indigo Alive — App Prototype

Social Media Strategy

To address the lack of visibility, we developed a social media strategy focused on Instagram and TikTok. Through short-form videos, visual storytelling, and user-generated content, we aim to reposition indigo dyeing as a contemporary, creative, and shareable experience.

Deliverables

Our final deliverables include user research (personas and empathy maps), a fully developed app prototype, a social media strategy, and visual concept development. Together, these elements form a cohesive system that connects research, design, and communication.

Conclusion

Through this project, we aim to reposition indigo dyeing within a contemporary context by connecting tradition with modern digital behavior. By making the craft more visible, understandable, and accessible, we open it up to a new generation of users.

Ultimately, our goal is to give indigo dyeing the recognition and appreciation it truly deserves, ensuring that it is not only preserved, but actively experienced, shared, and reinterpreted in today’s world.

Our Team