Indigenous to West Africa

The Fabric:Strips of thin, plain cotton fabric are woven into squares that are then Hand-stitched together by the Artisans

The Indigo: a vibrant deep-blue hue dyed onto African cotton fabric, is derived from an Indigofera tinctoria plant family.

The dyeing technique begins with the creation of balls of gathered leaves, flowers, and stems of the indigo plant which are first macerated to pulp in a big wooden mortar and then left to dry for two to three days in the sun.

These balls measure approx. 10-12 cm in diameter.

Before adding indigo, the artisans make a solution of water and hardwood ash lye – an alkaline useful for the dyeing process. They leave the solution to steep for three days in the sun before adding the indigo. The cotton cloth is then ready to be dyed. They will typically leave the cloth for another two to three days and submerge it throughout to ensure an even dyeing result. The dyed cloth is then removed to dry and oxidize for twenty-four hours without rinsing.

By purchasing this Vintage African Indigo Cotton Fabric, you are preserving an age-old African tradition under threat of eradication from the modern encroach in the textile industry

Materials

• 100% cotton

• No artificial dyes or colours

Size may vary slightly

Perfect for vintage African art preservation

Due to the delicate, handmade nature and scarcity of this fabric, no two pieces are alike and we only source a few pieces at a time and on order

Lead Time and Shipping information

All our Orders are made to order

Samples are ready to ship in 1 week