a report from a Chinese envoy dated 1802, the writer speaks of the beautiful from Okinawa, commenting that the flowers depicted in the fabric were so vibrant that the fabric must have been produced using a "production secret that they do not reveal to others". Pigments used in were imported from Fukien and used in textile dyeing. To achieve the color white, ground chalk or powdered shells were used. Other colours were achieved using cochineal, vermilion, arsenic, and sulphur. Some patterns used up to 18 different colour applications. After the Ryukyu Kingdom came under Japanese rule, the Ryukyu people could no longer trade for these pigments, and sought new ways to continue with their painting. Production of the finer and brighter varieties of had come to a halt and the workers turned to working with the materials which were readily available. Indigo was all that was left, so production for the general public became popular. Special permission was given to only three families to produce . Each family had their own designs which they passed onto future generations. There were a total of 45 dyers, the best residing in the capital of Shuri. To make the stencils, thin sheets of mulberry paper were glued together with persimmon tannin, making them thick and durable. Then they were smoked and aged, and finally the designs were drawn onto the paper and cut. Making kimono was labour-intensive, and only royalty or the wealthy could afford them. The designs were held under strict control, and the distinction between classes was easily recognized by the kimono worn. Patterns for the royal household were very bold and colorful, while the general public wore simple and dark patterns of indigo or black. Only the royal family wore the yellow, while nobility wore pale blue. On special occasions, the commoners were given permission to wear certain special colors. The women in the royal family were very particular about their kimono, and forbade anyone to copy the same kimono pattern style. The patterns painted on the kimono were usually birds, flowers, rivers, and clouds on silk, linen, and (a cloth woven from musa basjoo fiber). During the Battle of Okinawa, much was lost, and production stopped due to the destruction of the shops. After the war, a former artist, Eiki Shiroma, went to mainland Japan in search of original stencils which had been taken by collectors and Japanese soldiers.