Photo: @chrisburkard. Indigo is a dye collected from the Japanese Indigo plant, and legend states that indigo was first traded from India to Japan on the silk road thousands of years ago, only used by aristocrats and Samurai. Since then, indigo has been realized as having antibacterial properties, insect repellent effects, and also as having elements that allow for treatment of skin issues such as eczema. In the rush of my surf photography shoots, I always cherish when I can break away from the ocean and learn a little more about the culture that surrounds it. Here, a woman shows her hands after completing the traditional process of dying clothing with indigo.