Library: Books about African textiles

We recommend these books about African textiles:

African Majesty: The Textile Art of the Ashanti
Peter Adler

An illustrated history of strip weaving by the Asante in Ghana and the Ewe who live in both Ghana and Togo. The individually patterned strips are sewn together to make kente cloth which has been known by European explorers since 15th century. Well illustrated with wonderful photographs and explanations of designs.



African Style: down to the details
Sharne Algotson, photographs by George Ross

An inspired collection of design ideas that use textiles, colours and materials from African cultures. Full of practical as well as design advice this book will help you create a truly African style for your home.


African Textiles: Color and Creativity Across a Continent
John Gillow

John Gillow travelled extensively throughout Africa and uncovered a dazzling array of textiles from tapestries, rugs, garments, and more. Tecniques and regions are covred in detail from strip weaving in Ghana to Ethiopian embroidery and Berber rugs - this is an authoritative work.


Bogolan: Shaping Culture through Cloth in Contemporary Mali (African Expressive Cultures)
Victoria L. Rovine

Lavishly illustrated this book explores the revival of bogolan, bogolanfini or mudcloth as it is known and how artisans are developing new products using the traditional techniques. You can buy mudcloth in the Textiles, Mudcloth section of eShopAfrica.


Printed and Dyed Textiles from Africa (Fabric Folios)
John Gillow

A beautifully illustrated book documenting the various methods of fabric dying in West Africa including mudcloth from Mali, adinkra from Ghana, adire from Yorubaland in Nigeria, ikats from Madagascar, indigo-resist dying and more. Useful both as a design reference and to learn about the traditional techniques.


Silk in Africa (Fabric Folios)
Chris Spring, Julie Hudson

From the authoritative British Museum, the latest book in the Fabric Folios series explores the diverse and little known world of African silk. With illustrations from the British Museum collections the book explores the places where silk is valued in Africa and explanations of the way designs and ideas have travelled throughout the continent.


Art of African Textiles
Duncan Clark

Describing both the materials and techniques, this book describes how many different kinds of African cloth are made including Kente cloth from Ghana, Bogolan (mud cloth) from Mali, Raffia cloth from Congo, Aso Oke from Yorubanland in Nigeria and wax printed cloths. Descriptions and photographs show the skill and workmanship required to produce these cloths.


African Textiles (Icon Editions)
John Picton
A round up of different techniques, traditions and materials used to make textiles around the continent.


Spirit of African Design
Sharne Algotson

How to use African designs and motifs in a contemporary way to decorate your home.


African Accents on the Go! Designing Accessories With Cultural Style
Lisa Shepard

Things to make using African crafts - illustrated with photographs and easy to follow diagrams for things to make both for home, school and office.

Feedback: Textiles: Mudcloth blind

A customer sent us this picture of the blinds they made using our mudcloth.    They give this room  a warm African feel           

Gallery: Textiles: Kuba and Raffia cloth

Kuba and Raffia cloth

We're sorry but we don't sell this item in our shop.  If you're a fair trade supplier please get in touch


Kuba cloth is the embroidered and appliqued fabric of the Kuba people of central Africa who leave around Kinshasa in modern day Congo. It is made from woven raffia and it's geometric art forms have been the source of inspiration for artists such as Picasso, Klee and Matisse who owned an extensive collection. For the Kubans the cloth forms an important part of their funeral rites. In order to be recognised by your ancestors when you get to the other side you must be wearing the correctly patterned cloth. These designs are handed down from generation to generation and it is the strength of this tradition that has kept the skills of making Kuba cloth alive.

To make Kuba cloth first a plain square is woven from raffia on a loom - this is usually the work of men. Kuba cloth is very stiff when first woven, so it is pounded in a mortar to soften it. This can cause holes which are a normal part of the cloth but they are sometimes covered with applique designs. After weaving and beating women - although sometimes also men - decorate the cloth using different designs, techniques and materials.

There are about 200 different designs that are known by name but each piece is unique as the artisans improvise as they work.



 
KUBA005: Long piece of Kuba cloth made from raffia. Complete with rust, dark and light brown and ochre. Applique and tie dyed stripes - a few holes.
24 inches wide 4 yards long

KUBA002: Kuba cloth, made from Raffia, partial, Dark rust colored border with tie dyed elements, embroidered center.
19 inches wide 41 inches long


KUBA003: Kuba cloth, made from Raffia, not complete, dark and light brown appliqué design with some cowry shells.
14 inches wide 48 inches long








KUBA004: Kuba cloth made from Raffia, not complete. Rust colored body with embroidery and cowries. Bobble border mostly complete
14 inches wide 69 inches long




 


KUBA001: Long piece of Kuba cloth, made from Raffia, not quite complete, has raffia bobbles on the side. Rust colored border, brown middle with cowry shells, embroidery and appliqué patches.
19.5 inches wide 3 yards long



RAFI001 : 19.5 x 28 inches


 
RAFI002 : 22.5 x 20 inches




RAFI003 : 21 x 26 inches edges are frayed


RAFI004 : 21 x 26 inches



 
 RAFI005 : 19 x 25 inches edges are frayed





RAFI006 : 22 x 23 inches



RAFI007 : 25 x 25 inches

Feedback: Textiles: George Suarez, New York

The Ethiopian shawls arrived in time for the birthday and she loved them. Thanks for getting them to me on time. And congratulations on doing a fine job of connecting African artisans with acquisitive western urban dwellers like me. I admire your enterprise in giving the craftspeople this kind of access to a wider market. I've already started talking up your website to people. Best of luck.

Gallery: Product: Northern Cloth

Northern Cloth from Bolgatanga in Ghana



We don't currently stock this in our online shop but we may be able to help you get some.  Get in touch if you're interested.



Here are the weavers of this traditional strip woven cloth. West African grown cotton is hand spun and dyed using natural dyes such as indigo. This is then hand woven into thin strips which are sewn together either to form pieces of cloth or articles of clothing. But the weavers are innovating... see below for a mixture of old-style traditional products and the new style designed to appeal to wider markets.


 
Traditional style chief shirts   
When Jerry Rawlings, the previous president of Ghana travalled he often wore one of these chief shirts. His family was partly from Bolgatanga where these traditonal shirts woven from Northern cloth that is then embroidered are a mark of high status. Underneath the shirt you can see the rolls of Northern cloth that customers can choose from.



The tradition lives on...
This Ghanain businessman has blended the old and new perfectly. He is wearing an white shirt and tie underneath a traditional chief shirt. We hope this style of office dressing catches on - it looks great as well as being great for the Northern cloth weavers.



Traditional ladies outfit   
This ladies outfit is sewn from Northern cloth strips in a traditional dress style popular with Ghainain women.


Old styles in the market
In the markets in the north of Ghana you often find kaftans sewn using Northern cloth.


New colours, new ideas...
The weavers are branching out... they are now using modern dyes in combination with the traditional dyes to make new colour combinations. Also new thread colours gives them more options when it comes to embroidering and decorating their work.


 
Table runners....
With the new strips colourful table runners like this can be sewn together and then hand embroidered



Wine bottle covers   



Lampshades



A Northern cloth living room   
Look at how great this living room set - all based on the traditional Northern cloth strips


The latest fashion
And with their new colours the weavers aren't going to be left behind. This stylish jacket is beautifully made from the Northern cloth strips woven in black and orange.

 
A director's chair   
A great way to give a unique look to a directors chair. It has been covered using traditionally coloured Northern cloth strips. Again - a blend of old and new.




More chairs
Even ordinary chairs can be made more interesting with a unqiue pillow and cushion made from Northern cloth strips.

 
More furnishings
These strips have a red theme and when interwoven with black make a unique textured design.

 
Goodbye from Bolgatanga   
You can see from these pictures that the weavers of Bolgatanga are not about to get left behind. They're constantly innovating their skills and experimenting with new materials and techniques - the results speak for themselves.