Top historical and present facts about African fabrics

In many old pictures, African people are depicted without clothes or wearing animal hide. The country has a rich history of textiles and textile industry which is dated back to 5000 BC in Egypt. Many petroglyphs depicted about the traditional garment on the wall of pyramids.  The textile industry flourished well during the different dynasties of the continent after the Egyptians. The tribal people have started weaving the linen from various resources using the traditional tool to make clothes. The designs represent the different culture and heritage of the inhabitants. The African fabrics shop has become the favourite place for natives to buy the authentic traditional fabrics and clothes.  

Resources in the Making of Premium Fabrics

The superior quality cotton was used in the creation of premium quality linen to make regular clothes suiting for various events. Cotton is the standard material used in many ancient civilisations which help in flourishing their textile industry. Many natural resources like flaxseed, wool, fur, and animal hide are employed in the past to create their unique clothing line. In North Africa, people weave camel and sheep wool to produce their distinctive clothes. Similarly, jute, flaxseed, and silk are in used in East Africa. The Kente cloth which is Ghana’s national fabric was weaved with golden threads in earlier days for their kings. Some of the African clothes were made of tree bark as they show the development of textiles in most parts of Africa in the past.

Different Methods of Dyeing

The dyes used in the colouring of fabrics are obtained from vegetables and minerals. Batik is the most a dyeing technique utilised in the traditional clothes which don't fade even after several washes.  Designs are bound and stitched on the cloth in tie and dye technique.  In resist dye, dyers use candle wax or other water-resistant material to draw designs on the fabric. After designing, the material is dipped in vegetable dyes which colour the whole fabric leaving the design area. Different natural sources are used to embellish the design areas with different patterns. Ankara, a Dutch way of wax printing method was also used in designing of the African fabrics. Dutch brought the Ankara printing method to Africa after colonising Indonesia, and Africans widely used their method in the past.

Why are African fabrics popular?

African fabrics are popular due to their unique and eccentric designs. The wax prints done on the materials using new techniques make the print durable for a long time. Best quality of equipment is used in the production of premium quality fabrics. The bold colours embroidery transforms the fabric into a beautiful piece of cloth. The symbols used in fabric prints displays the rich historical culture of different parts of the continent. The traditional materials are durable due to their high quality of cloth piece and smooth textures on the clothes doesn’t fade while washing multiple times. People can buy African fabrics online to get finest quality outfits and materials from many retailers available on the internet.

Present scenario

The Indonesian technique of Batik dyeing became a quite popular way to dye the traditional clothes in Africa. But nowadays, roller printer is used to cast colours on the design of the clothes. The traditional fabrics are quite popular in many parts of Europe and North America and displayed in many fashion shows worldwide. The natives wear different coloured and symbol clothes as per the occasion. They have different dresses for wedding, parties, engagements, and many happy occasions. If you’re looking for a bold coloured and wax prints design clothes, you can buy African fabrics to make outfits for jovial gatherings and fancy meetups.