African prints are renowned for the elaborate composition of designs, which highlight the continent’s culture, tradition, and history. As a matter of fact, they’re so popular that financial institutions regard these textiles as suitable investments and support female-owned businesses selling them. African print fabric, referred to as African wax print fabric, is 100% cotton and features bold designs and bright colors. Looking at the quality of the fabrics, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Gambia, Tanzania, and Senegal produce superior quality products. Still, unfortunately, they lack the necessary marketing skills and resources to enter international markets through export.
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What Can an African Print Fabric Be Used For?
African textiles can be worn wrapped around the body and tucked at the waist to show appreciation for the culture and its artistry. It’s considered acceptable to wear African prints both in formal and informal contexts, yet you must be respectful of the cultural norms and dress appropriately for the occasion. A head wrap is a perfect accessory to add some flair to your hair, so make a turban using African fabric. Fold the material into a triangle and place it on your head so that the sides are hanging towards your shoulders, tie the ends into a knot just above your forehead, and tuck both sides at the back of your head.
If you want to add color, texture, and uniqueness to your home, genuine African textiles can help, so bring the fabric of your roots into your space. African print fabric can be used as wall hangings, bedsheets, curtains, etc. Trimmings and leftover fabric pieces can be used for simple projects, such as coin purses, necklaces, tablecloths and napkins, lampshades, and so on. If you have any books to spare at home, pass them on to friends and family with a vividly colored bookmark inside. All you need is a few square pieces of fabric sewn together, and you’re good to go.
The Different Types of African Print Textiles Available
Each of the following African print fabrics has a peculiar story behind its origin; whatever you decide to do with them, you’ll have something that attests to your origin.
Kente
Kente is a Ghanaian textile, traditionally hand-woven on a horizontal strip loom to produce a narrow band of cloth four inches wide. It’s one of the world’s most complicated weavings, which is why it’s expensive, so despite its accessibility, it’s still associated with wealth, high social status, and cultural sophistication. Each kente fabric has a deep symbolic meaning revealed by its colors, patterns, and symbols. For example, blue symbolizes harmony, peacefulness, and love, while green represents the richness of the land. At present, kente is made into scarves, shirts, ties, hats, bags, and other stylish pieces. As a person without professional or specialized knowledge on the subject, you’ll have trouble figuring out whether a piece of kente is authentic or an imitation.
Ukara-Ekpe
The ukara cloth is characteristic of the Ekpe secret society, which exists in southern Nigeria and western Cameron, that resulted from an inter-ethnic conflict. Now, it has more of a ceremonial role. The ukara textile was used as a wrapper, worn by high-ranking members of the group, or as a backdrop in the rooms of chides and kings; it can be found in different types of clothing these days. Each hue, whether blue, green, or red, embodies different emotions and life stages, and the cloth is covered with symbols – birds, harvests, and illustrations. The ukara fabric has maintained its relevance for many ages owing to its capacity to adapt to new uses or purposes while remaining true to its origin.
Ankara
Ankara stands out among other African print fabrics. Its origin isn’t African but rather European, although Ankara fabric is omnipresent in West Africa and Central Africa. Ankara was originally produced by the Dutch for the Indonesian textile market. Nevertheless, the prints caught the attention of people from Africa, leading the Dutch to focus more on this area. Ankara fabric can be purchased in various lengths, from one to six yards, so determine how many yards you need for a project. The vibrant colors don’t fade away as compared to other textiles, not to mention that the cotton is woven to be comfortable, lightweight, and breathable.
Batiks
Batiks enjoy a great deal of popularity in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Togo because they have a very affordable price. Batik fabric is made using a wax-resist process, in which the designer uses wax to prevent the dye from penetrating certain areas of the cloth, obtaining patterned cloth. Boiling water is used to eliminate the wax. Batiks work well as scarves, blouses, and shawls, to name a few. You’ll be happy to know that batik textile is easy to look after, so it doesn’t require special care; still, it has a rumpled appearance, and for this reason, there’s no need to achieve a freshly ironed look.
Isi Agu
A long time ago, only men could wear this attire, but things have changed, and women can wear isi agu, too, if they want to look fashionable and gorgeous. Isi agu is a traditional outfit for special events, such as weddings, and the shirt may be long- or short-sleeved, worn with matching pants or trousers. Isi agu gowns are light and comfortable, available in a wide array of colors, and you will hardly attend an occasion without seeing women rocking this style. The isi agu attire is a symbol of dignity, royalty, and respect. Fabrics are a creative combination of colors, and regardless of what color comes in, the dominant motif is the lion.
Closing Remarks
You can purchase African print fabrics in stores, markets, or online, but it’s crucial to know the difference between real and fake textile. Needless to say, imitation fabrics are low-quality and sold at a much cheaper price than authentic fabrics. Since African prints are manufactured via the wax resist method, there will be tiny imperfections in the dye, so the pieces are one-of-a-kind. Finally, yet importantly, true African fabrics feature the producer’s name and the design number of the edge of the fabric on the label, so read and understand the context.