What is African wax print called?
Also known as Ankara or Dutch wax prints, African wax prints are made using a wax-resist technique that stems from Batik but is produced industrially using the Dutch wax method. Genuine African wax prints are famed for being the same colors on both sides of the fabric.
Is it OK to wear African wax print?
' 'can I make a dress and wear it? ' My simple, short answer is anyone can wear wax prints. These are cotton printed fabric so sew and wear them as you would any other cotton.
What are wax fabrics?
Wax Prints are colourful cotton fabrics produced using a mechanised wax-resist printing technique inspired from the Indonesian hand-crafted batik method.
How are African wax prints made?
The method of producing African wax print fabric is called batik, which is an ancient art form. The designs are printed onto the cloth using melted wax before the dye is applied to add usually 2 or 3 colours. The crackling effect displayed on the cloth is caused by the wax-resist dyeing technique and special machinery.
What is the difference between Ankara and kente?
Kente cloth originates from West Africa whereas African print fabric (commonly known as 'Ankara' in West Africa and 'Kitenge' or 'Chitenge' in East Africa) was first produced in Indonesia. There is a great difference in the way that these two fabrics are made.
What is the difference between Ankara and Kitenge?
Is there a difference between Ankara and Kitenge. There is no difference between the two fabrics. Most of us have the Kitenge and are not even aware of what fabric we have. The two fabrics if not sewn can be subtited for something else.
What is wax print used for?
African wax print fabric is know as ankara; 100% cloth cotton that's used to make clothing, accessories and other products. It was originally produced in Holland, but now produced in Africa.
Can you iron African wax fabric?
Dry and iron African print fabrics on a low heat temperature Otherwise, just toss them in the dryer and place the temperature on the lowest heat setting. Some dryers have a “no heat” setting which works perfect!
Can you sew waxed fabric?
You can sew waxed canvas on a home machine. We recommend using a #16 or #18 needle with V-69 thread, depending on what you're sewing. What is it like to sew with waxed canvas? Waxed canvas sews almost like regular marine canvas, except that the presser feet and feed dog will leave marks on the fabric.
How do you clean African waxed fabric?
Wash at 40 degrees and use detergent. These fabrics are colour fast and the vibrant designs do not fade even after repeated washing. However, if you are using these fabrics for the first time, you might want to wash them separately and / or use your colour catcher!
What can I make with wax printed fabric?
0:4414:16Quick and Easy Things to Make from Wax Print Fabric - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd for straps. I used a contrasting wax print to cut these strips out from to make the bias tape iMoreAnd for straps. I used a contrasting wax print to cut these strips out from to make the bias tape i used this 25 millimeter bios tape making thingy.
What is African print fabric called?
Ankara fabricThe textile used to make African prints is called Ankara fabric that is also referred as African wax prints fabric, Holland wax, or Dutch wax. The Ankara fabric is known for its colorful African prints, and is deeply associated with African clothing.
What are African patterns called?
Ankara Prints (aka Wax Prints or Batik) In authentic wax printing, the wax is melted and meticulously applied to the cloth by hand, which is then dyed in a vivid hue. This wax-and-soak process is repeated multiple times with various colors, creating intricate multi-colored patterns.
How do you wash wax cloth?
The washing machine, hot water, detergents, and dry cleaning all will run the risk of damaging the waxed coating of waxed canvas. Always use cold water and, if necessary, mild soap like saddle soap.
How do you use African wax on fabric?
2:2519:00EVERYTHING you need to know about African Wax Fabrics - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThem you need to pre wash them before using them just to eliminate a little bit bit of the waxMoreThem you need to pre wash them before using them just to eliminate a little bit bit of the wax coating on those fabrics. And when we say pre wash we mean to use a mild soap to wash your fabric.
How do you wash African garments?
How to wash African Print Clothing Machine (or hand wash) cold with similar colours. ... If you are washing African wax print clothing, turn the garment(s) inside out when washing in the machine. Use mild washing powder. ... Use a gentle machine setting such as 'hand wash' to avoid the spin cycle.More items...
What is the design of the eye called?
The design is simply known as Eyes in Nigeria, a name inspired by the eye drawing. In Ivory Coast, this popular design is called “L’Oeil de Boeuf” (Bull’s Eye ) but, it is also known as “Lisu ya Pité”, meaning ‘Lustful Eye’. Women wear it that want to show a man that she desires him.
What is the topizo pattern?
The pattern is known by several other names, including “Topizo” in Togo and “Tohozin” in Benin (both meaning ‘rush’), alluding to the day it first went on sale, when it was met by a rush of customers. In 1970, it was adopted by Air Zaire’s flight attendants as their uniform.
What does "awoulaba" mean?
In Baoule, Awoulaba means Queen of Beauty. Women with generous curves are called Awoulaba. Its popularity in the 80s coincided with the first edition of the beauty contest “Miss Awoulaba”.
What is the village of Molokai called?
This popular fabric in DRCongo is called ‘Village Molokai’, as connecting the village of Molokai in DRCongo to the village depicted on the design. The pattern is also called “Guerre de Shaba”, ‘The War of Shaba’, on account of the struggle for independence that broke out in Shaba, a province in the southern part of DRCongo, now known as Katanga.
What is the happy family?
The Happy Family design represents the archetypical African family. It is synonymous with the social identity of its wearer. At the center is the maternal figure, the chicken, surrounded by her chicks and future chicks, the eggs. The father – the rooster – is nothing but trouble and only his head is shown.
What is the color of the Congrès?
Congrès. The pattern is very popular in Ivory Coast and Togo. Its two colours, red and yellow, are printed on top of each other. Each year it is worn during the meeting of the Lomé Houngni women, an order of women from Lomé, Togo.
Why is the Togo pattern called Air Afrique?
In Togo the pattern is called “”Air Afrique”” because the fabric was also used in the uniform of the local airline company. In the Ebo region it is called Eneke, and it is said that if the hunters learn to shoot without missing, they have learned to fly without perching.
How many yards of wax is ankara?
Usually ankara wax print fabrics are sold in 12 yard pieces (full piece) or 6 yards (half piece). This means we have to scour the many fabric isles of Kejetia market, the biggest outdoor market in West Africa, looking for the perfect prints to make Ashanti Empress clothing.
What is the most popular genre of music in Ghana?
This fabric represents the most popular genre of music in Ghana, highlife. This genre is loved by many due to the originality and quality of sound produced by most highlife musicians.
Why is gravel called gravel?
This translates to English as gravel because the design in it looks like small stones. The proverbial meaning behind it is that if your sister or a relative hurts you, it is more painful than an outsider.
Where did batik cloth originate?
Although Africa does have a rich history of textile production the origins of this brightly coloured cloth which is now thought of as synonymous with Africa actually began with batik fabric in Indonesia.
Does Ankara fabric have wax?
It’s your call! Ankara prints come with wax embedded in the fabric. This gives it a crisp, stiff drape, great for structural styles that need shape. If you want to take advantage of the wax, it’ll need to be a “dry clean only” garment. If you’d like a softer cotton, simply give it a pre-wash, and it’ll soften right up (I like to wash on cold and dry on low heat, as that’s how I treat most of my handmade items).
Can you make a pencil skirt on a crossgrain dress?
You wouldn’t want to make a pencil skirt on the crossgrain, that’d be too much stress for the crossgrain! Here, the bodice of the dress, which takes more stress than the loose, wide skirt, is cut on the lengthwise grain. Lastly, HAVE FUN.
Where Is Wax Print Fabric Popular?
Wax print fabric is popular around the globe, but is particularly popular in parts of West Africa like Ghana and Nigeria.
How Is Wax Print Fabric Sold?
Normally, the fabrics are sold in lengths of 12 yards (11 m) as "full piece" or 6 yards (5.5 m) as "half piece". People may decide to club together to buy a larger piece of fabric to create multiple different outfits from the same cloth.
Modern African Wax Print
In Ghana, many people wear wax print fabrics on Friday as the government began a campaign to get people to wear national dress to support the local textile industry. One of the challenges is that many of the fabrics are not made in Africa, and are instead cheaper imports from overseas.
How to Wear Wax Prints?
The great thing about wax prints is that they’re extremely beautiful as well as versatile and easy to wear. They make the perfect statement in any outfit, home or accessory. You can even mix and match prints and different wax print designs for a bold, traditional look.
How many yards of kitenge fabric is a single piece?
A whole ‘double’ piece of kitenge fabric is 12 yards in length but you may also be able to purchase half ‘single’ pieces, which are 6 yards in length. The width of the fabric varies between different manufacturers; it is usually 46 to 48 inches.
What is wax print fabric?
African wax print fabric, also know as kitenge and ankara fabric, is mass produced, colourful, 100% cotton cloth commonly worn and used to make clothing, accessories and other products in Africa. The method of producing the fabric is called batik, a wax resist dyeing technique and ancient art form that originates from Indonesia.
What is the history of Ankara?
The History of Ankara/Kitenge Fabric. When the Dutch colonised Indonesia, their merchants discovered batik fabrics and brought samples back to The Netherlands. Dutch textile manufacturers developed ways to print the fabric in bulk by machine and started to produce cheaper batik inspired imitation fabrics. These new fabrics were not popular in ...
How to make African wax?
The basic steps of African wax print fabric production include: 1) Melted, molten wax is printed by machine onto both sides of the cloth. 2) The cloth is put into an indigo dye bath (the dye repels the wax covered areas of the fabric) 3) A machine cracks the wax to create a marbling and bubbles effect. 4) Printing machines add two ...
What is Kitenge's fabric?
Kitenge founder, Sian, wearing an African print shirt and fabric wrapped around her waist when cooking Christmas dinner in Tanzania. The fabric can also be used to make cushions, curtains, bed sheets, napkins, quilts, lampshades, bunting for the home as well as accessories such as bags, shoes and jewellery. Pretty much anything you can think of can ...
What does the color of a print represent?
The colours and symbols used in each print design can symbolise a tribe, marriage and social status of the wearer. After the fabrics are designed, printed and distributed to markets, particularly in West Africa, the women who wear them create the stories and hidden meanings behind them.
What is the Ghanaian print called?
For example, there is a popular Ghanaian print known as ‘speed bird’ . It has multiple birds flying in the same direction meaning you can be ‘rich today, poor tomorrow’ as money can easily fly away. Another popular print in Ghana is called ‘Nsu Bura’, which is an Akan word for ‘water well’.
What Is The Difference Between Batik and African Wax Print Fabric?
There’s no denying the beauty and global popularity of African wax print fabrics (see some examples on our African print dresses ). They are bold and eye-catching, with such intricate patterns that it's hard to imagine how someone else had the imagination to create such a detailed design...
Batik Waxed Fabric
Batik is a wax-resist dyeing technique, done by hand, which is perhaps most famous in Indonesia. It has been disputed where Batik fabric originates, as Batik fabric has been manufactured in Egypt, Syria, Nigeria, and Senegal. However, the technique always remains similar.
African Wax Print Fabric
Also known as Ankara or Dutch wax prints, African wax prints are made using a wax-resist technique that stems from Batik but is produced industrially using the Dutch wax method. Genuine African wax prints are famed for being the same colors on both sides of the fabric.
Bogolan
Also known as Bògòlanfini or "mud cloth", Bogolan is a handmade cotton fabric where different types of mud containing various minerals and pigments are used to create fantastic colors for hand painted designs. Today, pigments are also taken from other natural products.
Kente
Kente – from a word meaning basket - is a fabric made of interwoven cloth strips that is native to south Ghana. The woven strips boast multicolored patterns, geometric shapes and bold designs.
Overview
African wax prints, Dutch wax prints or Ankara, are omnipresent and common materials for clothing in West Africa and Central Africa. They were introduced to West and Central Africans by Dutch merchants during the 19th century, who took inspiration from native Indonesian technique and Akwete cloth designs. They began to adapt their designs and colours to suit the tastes of the African …
History
The process to make wax print is originally influenced by batik, an Indonesian (Javanese) method of dyeing cloth by using wax-resist techniques. For batik, wax is melted and then patterned across the blank cloth. From there, the cloth is soaked in dye, which is prevented from covering the entire cloth by the wax. If additional colors are required, the wax-and-soak process is repeated with new patterns.
Wax print cloth production
Prévinaire's method for the production of imitation batik cloth proceeds as follows. A block-printing machine applies resin to both sides of the fabric. It is then submerged into the dye, in order to allow the dye to repel the resin covered parts of the fabric. This process is repeated, to build up a coloured design on the fabric. Multiple wooden stamp blocks would be needed for each colour within the design. The cloth is then boiled to remove the resin which is usually reused.
Wax print manufacturers
After a merger in 1875, the company founded by Prévinaire became Haarlemsche Katoenmaatschappij (Haarlem Cotton Company). The Haarlemsche Katoenmaatschappij went bankrupt during the First World War, and its copper roller printing cylinders were bought by van Vlissingen's company.
In 1927, van Vlissingen's company rebranded as Vlisco.
African fancy print
The costly produced wax fabrics are increasingly imitated by alternative ways of manufacturing. The so-called "fancy fabrics" are produced in a printing procedure. Costly designs are printed digitally.
Fancy fabrics in general are cheap, industrially produced imitations of the wax prints and are based on industry print. Fancy fabrics are also called imiwax, Java print, roller print, le fancy or l…
See also
• Wrapper (clothing)
• Shweshwe
• Kitenge
Literature
• Gerlich, G. (2004). Waxprints im soziokulturellen Kontext Ghanas. Arbeitspapier Nr. 54 (PDF). Institut für Ethnologie und Afrikastudien. Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-04.
• Gillow, J. (2003). African textiles. Colour and creativity across a continent. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd.