Africa has long been a fertile & creative source of fabric textile & design. One of the most widely known woven fabrics synonymous with the Ashanti people of Ghana, is Kente. Kente cloth is a type of cotton fabric made of interwoven cloth strips. The complex designs and vibrant colors employed by the weavers of this royal and sacred fabric were meant to convey the history, philosophy, ethics and moral values of both Ghana and African culture in general.

According to some tribes, weaving has many spiritual and mythical meanings behind it as well. One belief is that each stage of spinning and weaving thread is a symbolic analogy to human reproduction and resurrection. Therefore, the processes can only be done in daylight hours. To work at night would be to weave silence and darkness into the cloth. The color of the cloth can also have some spiritual meaning as well. In one tribe a white cloth used by healing women is thought to be linked to water spirits. Although there are many meanings to the designs on the cloth, very few are directly represented on the cloth itself.

J & O Fabrics has a beautiful selection of woven kente cloth prints. We also carry a wide array of African themed novelty prints. These prints are 45” wide and are made of 100% cotton. With our African fabrics you can go from Mt. Kilimanjaro to the Great Pyramids of Egypt in the comfort of your own home.

USES OF YOUR AFRICAN FABRIC

CARING FOR YOUR AFRICAN FABRIC

·     Cotton can be easily laundered. It can withstand high temperatures. Any good detergent can be used to wash cotton. Use color safe bleach on dyed cottons. A higher heat setting is needed in the dryer to dry cotton. Cotton will take much longer to dry than less absorbent fibers. Cotton can be ironed with a hot iron and does not scorch easily.

*note: Because kente fabric contains natural dyes, if in doubt as to the wash ability, apply 1 or 2 drops of water to a small section and blot with a clean white cloth. If the dye transfers to the cloth, the textile should not be washed. Instead have it dry-cleaned.

The best storage for kente and woven’s is a clean, dark, cool and moderately dry environment with a constant temperature and relative humidity. Ideally there should be no strain on any one particular area of the cloth. Kente should never be sealed in plastic or other air-tight casing unless it is part of a treatment or cleaning process. Proper circulation combined with the suggested humidity will help to prevent the growth of mold & mildew. Keeping a clean storage area for your woven’s and prints will also prevent pests such as silverfish and firebrats from destroying your wonderful fabric.

*note: The above information is intended to aid our customers in their fabric projects. These suggestions are based on manufacturer’s recommendations and customer insights. The above statements are not intended to be understood as unequivocal or applicable to every circumstance. Therefore, J&O Fabrics is not responsible for the results of the implementation of these cleaning methods.