Claessen™ Blue "Planetary Tears Blue" Series
The Claessen™ Blue "Planetary Tears Blue" series is part of the MMC Quality Vintage sub-line.
Developed in collaboration with Chloris Bio-Dye Laboratory in the United States, this fabric is the world’s first bio-based indigo-dyed selvedge denim, designed with a focus on safety and sustainability.
Core to this series is its commitment to zero toxicity, zero carbon footprint, and full biodegradability. The molecular structure of Claessen Blue differs fundamentally from both plant-derived and synthetic indigo.
Rigorous light-fastness testing has proven its exceptional resistance to yellowing and superior color stability.
Claessen Blue is produced through microbial cell factories—where specially cultured microorganisms metabolize the blue pigment—achieving truly biological dyeing.
The 100% natural purity of Claessen Blue delivers a completely new shade: a transparent, seawater-like blue, distinct from traditional reddish or purplish indigo tones.
Due to its lighter dye shade, higher resistance to light and ozone fading compared to conventional indigo, and a design philosophy centered on longevity and ecological responsibility, this denim develops subtle, low-contrast fading over time. As such, it is not recommended for traditional high-contrast “denim farming.”
Chloris™ Biodye
We extend our deep gratitude to the pioneering U.S.-based Chloris team—global leaders in bio-dye innovation.
Behind Claessen Blue, the world’s first commercially scalable bio-based blue dye, lies a century-spanning pursuit.
It began in 1890, when German scientist Henri Claessen discovered blue-pigmented microorganisms in Berlin’s River Spree.
In 1939, Dutch scientist Professor Elazari Volcani isolated and purified the blue pigment, followed by the groundbreaking determination of its molecular structure by German Professor Kuhn in 1965.
After more than a century of research, the Chloris team applied synthetic biology to successfully transfer blue pigment synthesis genes into microbial cell factories in 2012.
After five years of development, microbial synthesis of Claessen Blue was achieved in 2017, enabling its application in cotton dyeing.
To honor its original discoverer, the pigment was officially named Claessen™ Blue.
We see it as a gift from Earth’s rivers and have named this series “Planetary Tears Blue”—Tears of Mother Earth—the Claessen™ Blue "Planetary Tears Blue" Series.