Why Are African fabrics trending nowadays?

African fabrics represent the diverse culture and tradition of Africa. They have already turned into a style statement in the fashion industry. They were not the popular choice in the past but they are one of the most popular materials used in fashion industry nowadays. People buy African fabrics online as well as from credited shops to flaunt in different events.

Origin of these fabrics

African fabrics date back to the early days of sub-Saharan times. The fabrics are inspired by rich traditional culture. Ancient African clothing was made from furs, tree barks, and animal hides. Genuine textiles follow traditional themes of earthy colours. Black/grey pattern, brocade, Rabal, Kitenge, mud cloth, bark cloth, Kuba cloth, Nigerian Aso-oke, George fabric, Egyptian Ankh gold print, indigo hand spun, burgundy pattern, multi-colored confetti, African floral, cowrie shell print, Kente print, Adire tie & dye, African village print, leopard prints etc. are some of the examples of these traditional fabrics. There are patterned, stitched, and embroidered textiles too.

The fabrics are made from textiles woven from pure cotton, jute, flax, silk, sheep and camel wool, polyester, batik etc. Both men and women spin the thread to weave cloth in Africa. Brightly coloured threads and vegetable and mineral dyes are two popular ways to give designs to any cloth. Most designs used in making the looks of cloth great got specific names and they are named on animals, plants, tribal rituals, and various old-age scriptures. Afro-centric designs are closely related to their roots. Each design has its own history and symbolism. There are many African fabrics shop selling these traditional clothes outside Africa.

Popularity of these clothes

African clothing lines are eye-catching and iconic. There are many fashion-conscious people flaunting their stunning dresses made from these fabrics. The style, grace, and beauty of these clothing lines are unmatchable. They show distinct features of design and simplicity. Many designers are showcasing their dresses made from authentic African fabric in different international fashion shows. Most of the clothing line is handmade and artisans demonstrate their culture and day-to-day life. This factor catches the attention of many consumers and hence make the clothing line popular.

Printing techniques on clothes

In ancient times, natural dyes made from mineral peats and distinct plants were used on white cotton clothes to draw designs. Wax methods of designing from Indonesia were brought by Dutch in Africa. In the wax method, colours are being separated by designs with the help of wax. These all are old methods and very complex images are printed by computers. Modern African clothes are one hundred percent cotton and there are still many places where they are made by the hand of weavers. There are many genuine places on internet and shops where anyone can buy African fabrics online of top quality.

Importance of colour in African tradition

Commemorative prints are often produced during the times of celebration or mourning. Light coloured clothes are worn at the times of celebrations. Similarly, dark coloured clothes are worn at the time of mourning. Different colours symbolise different occasions in African culture.

Author is presently working in Splashsys Company as a content writer. He enjoys writing about education, tourism, science and technology. In this article, he has written about how to succeed in online marketing by the company.