The month of June has over thirty different nationally recognized holidays and presidential proclaimed 'special days' in it. When broken down, that equates to a holiday each day. There's Fathers Day, Juneteenth, National Gay & Lesbian Pride Month, and National Childs Day just to name a few. But today, we at J&O Fabrics take personal pride in celebrating
Caribbean-American Heritage Month. 
During the month of June, we pay tribute to the Caribbean Americans at home and abroad who have helped weave the fabric of our Nation into the bountiful country it is today, and to celebrate the great contributions of a diversity of people from various islands in the Atlantic and Pacific who continue to enhance the culture and bonds of friendship that unite the United States and Caribbean countries.
With over 300 million citizens of various colors, shades and creeds, America is affectionately known as the 'Melting Pot'. From our Puerto Rican neighbors, to our Haitian, St Lucian, Trinidadian, and Jamaican brothers and sisters, it is truly a country of immigrants from every walk of life whose ultimate desire is to make a better life for themselves, their families, and the world as a whole.
For centuries, Caribbean Americans have enriched the soil of America in all areas of the arts, sports and government. From track and field Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones (Belize) and first Caribbean American candidate for president of the U.S. Shirley Chisholm (Barbados), to first Caribbean American Academy Award winner for best actor, Sidney Poitier (Barbados) and internationally known fashion designer Oscar De La Renta (Dominican Republic), the list of accomplishments and contributions goes on and on.
Over five million Americans proudly share their Caribbean heritage during the month of June and throughout the year, as we do among us here in our little piece of America called J&O Fabrics. In celebration of our unity and diversity, we offer a selection of island inspired fabrics and prints reminiscent of our tropical homes over seas. From the wild life to the beach life and everything in between, J&O is takes pride in being a part of the fabric that weaves our nation together.
Happy National Caribbean American Heritage Month!
Labels: caribbean, national-caribbean-heritage-month, novelty-cotton-fabric, oscar-de-la-renta, pacific islands, sidney-poitier, tropical-novelty-print-fabric, tropical-outdoor-fabric
The basic garment known in English most often as a "
sarong" has analogs in many regions, where it shows variations in style and is known by different names.
In East Africa it is called a
kanga and usually made of brightly coloured cotton.
In Madagasgar it is called a
lamba.
In Mozambique it is called a
capulana.
In Somalia it is called a
ma'wees.
In Zimbabwe they are known as
zambias.In South Africa it is called a
kikoi and commonly used as a furniture throw or for going to the beach.
In South Asia it is called a
lungi.
It is most often sewn into a large cylindrical shape, so there is no slit when the lungi is tied.
In India it is colloquially referred to by the misnomer
dhoti In Punjab it is a called
maylee when worn by a man, and a
gamcha when worn by a woman.
In Indonesia it is known as a
kain sarung ('sarong cloth').
In Malaysia it is known as a
kain, kain sarung, or kain sampinIn the Philippines it is also known as a
malong.
In Fiji it is known as a
sulu.In Hawaii it is referred to by the Anglicized Tahitian name,
pareoIn Samoa it is known as a
lavalavaIn Tahiti it is known as a
pareu.
A
sarong is a large sheet of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and worn as a skirt by men and women throughout much of Africa, Asia, India and on many Pacific islands. Usually made from
cotton or other natural fibers, the fabric is often brightly coloured or printed with intricate patterns. Some prints depict
animals or
plants, checkered or
geometric patterns, or resemble the results of tie dying &
batiking. In many of the African countires, the fabric is designed with various
symbolic prints, giving the garment more meaning and purpose. Sarongs are also used as wall hangings and other forms of clothing, such as shawls, baby carriers, complete dresses or upper body clothing. In North America the fabric of the sarong is generally quite light, often rayon, and may feature decorative fringing on two sides. They are often used by women as a cover-up over swimwear.
Numerous tying exist to hold a sarong to the wearer's body. In some cases, these techniques customarily differ according to the gender of wearer. If a sarong has ties, they may be used to hold it in place. If no ties exist, a pin may be used, the fabric may be tightly tucked under itself in layers, the corners of the main sheet may be around the body and knotted, or a belt may be used to hold the sarong in place.
Whatever you choose to call it, however you choose to wrap it, do it with J & O.
With hundreds of prints & fabrics to choose from, you will have no problem finding just the right one for you!
To view our selection of colorful African print cottons click here.To view our selection of wonderful island themed novelty prints click here.***Stay tuned in for easy step by step instructions on how to wrap your own sarong
.Posts by J&O
Fabrics StoreLabels: africa, asia, batiking, kanga, lungi, pacific islands, sarong, wraps