6 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT AFRICAN ANKARA FABRIC
A dear child has many names
Ankara fabric has many names and the answer is different every time depending on which African country representative you ask. However, its most common names are Wax print, Dutch wax, Ankara and Kitenge in Swahili. In this blog we use the name Ankara.
More than just fabric
Harsh fabric is included in many highlights of life, such as parties and weddings, and therefore many people form a deeper emotional bond with it. For many Africans, Ankara fabric is literally the first contact surface in life, as many children are wrapped in their mother's harsh fabric as soon as they are born. My earliest childhood memories are actually on my mother's back in a carrier made of harsh fabric.
Light Wax Surface
Genuine Ankara fabric is always 100% cotton. The fabric's stunning patterns are etched onto a pair of copper rollers before being printed onto both sides of the fabric using fused, molten wax. The wax used is a natural product that comes from pine resin. The thin wax surface makes the fabric stronger and also helps repel water better. Cotton fabric is also practical in hot weather because it keeps you cool in summer and warms you up in cool weather. It is precisely because of its practicality that Ankara fabric is a popular fabric in the African climate.
But is the fabric completely African…?
The "Africanness" of the harsh fabric has been a less and more disputed topic. The reasons for that can perhaps be better understood by a brief introduction to its history; In 1846, Dutch entrepreneur Pieter Fentener discovered that he could mechanize the method used to make traditional Indonesian batik prints. However, machine-printed Batik did not appeal to Indonesians who appreciate handwork. Fenteneri later introduced the printed fabrics to the Gold Coast (now Ghana), where the fabrics received the opposite reception. Africans were fascinated by the fabrics' vivid colors and beautiful patterns, as a result of which the kitenge fabric immediately spread throughout the continent.
Since then, cloth has traditionally been used as part of African storytelling; many Kitenge fabrics and its patterned prints are named after African proverbs, personalities, cities, places and occasions.
Over the centuries, Kitenge has been integrated into African culture and history, and also on a global level, many people associate Kitenge fabric with African culture.
Then the hottest question “Can a non-African person wear a garment made of harsh cloth?”
In short, yes you can. As long as the garment is worn with respect to its traditions and African culture, even a person with non-African roots can wear Ankara.
African clothes are not masquerade or theatrical costumes.
Personally, I am always happy when I see a garment or accessory made of kitenge fabric on a Finnish or non-African person, and if possible I always go and ask where the garment was purchased. The answer is usually that the product was bought from Afrikanmatka or made to measure. The most important thing is to buy the product from the creators themselves and thus give back and financially and socially support the creators/owners of the cultural element in question. All the clothes and accessories of our soon-to-open online store Esengo are made in Africa, in Ghana, supporting local small entrepreneurs and know-how.
In Finland and the Nordic countries, many individual African fashion brands have been emerging for the past few years, and Esengo is proud to be part of this wave.
Colors, colors, colors
In addition to its unique prints, Kitenge's trademark includes its vibrant and unique colors! As we all know, wearing colorful clothes directly affects your mood. So it's no wonder that kitenge clothes always put the wearer in a positive and happy mood! Our soon-to-be-launched online store, Esengo, has paid special attention to color choices and we have chosen the colors according to Finnish color preferences. So you should stay tuned, because soon you will get to know our wonderful Ankara products!
Do you have any other facts, thoughts or personal experiences about Ankara fabric that come to mind?
Comment below!
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One fabric with many names
Ankara fabric has many names and the answer is different every time depending on which African country representative you ask. However, its most common names are Wax print, Dutch wax, Ankara and Kitenge in Swahili.
More than just a fabric
Ankara fabric is included in many highlights of life, such as parties and weddings, and therefore many people with African roots form a deeper emotional bond with it. For many Africans, Ankara fabric is literally the first contact surface in life, as many children are wrapped in their mother's Ankara fabric as soon as they are born. My earliest childhood memories are actually on my mother's back in a carrier bag made of Ankara fabric.
Light wax coat
Authentic harsh fabric is always 100% cotton. The fabric's stunning designs are etched onto a pair of copper rollers before being printed onto both sides of the fabric using fused, molten wax. The wax used is a natural product that comes from pine resin. The thin wax coat makes the fabric stronger and also helps repel water better. Cotton fabric is also practical in hot weather because it keeps you cool in summer and warms you up in cool weather. It is precisely because of its practicality that Ankara fabric is a popular fabric in the African climate.
But is the fabric really African...?
The "Africanness" of the Ankara fabric has been a disputed topic. The reasons for that can perhaps be better understood by a brief introduction to its history; In 1846, Dutch entrepreneur Pieter Fentener discovered that he could mechanize the method used to make traditional Indonesian Batik prints. However, machine-printed Batik did not appeal to Indonesians who appreciate handwork. Fenteneri later introduced the printed fabrics to the Gold Coast (present Ghana), where the fabrics received the opposite reception. Africans were fascinated by the fabrics' vivid colors and beautiful patterns, as a result of which the Ankara fabric immediately spread throughout the continent.
Since then, the fabric has traditionally been used as part of African storytelling; many Ankara fabrics and its patterned prints are named after African proverbs, personalities, cities, places and occasions.
Over the centuries, Ankara has been integrated into African culture and history, and also on a global level, many people associate Ankara fabric with African culture.
Then the hottest question "Can a non-African person wear Ankara fabric?"
The short answer is Yes, yes you can. As long as the garment is worn with respect to its traditions and African culture, even a person with non-African roots can wear Ankara.
However, one should keep in mind that African clothes are not Masquerade or Theatrical costumes.
Personally, I am always happy when I see a garment or accessory made of Ankara fabric on a Finnish or non-African person, and if possible I always go and ask where the garment was purchased. The most important thing is to buy the product from the Creators themselves and thus give back and financially and socially support the creators/owners of the cultural element in question. All the clothes and accessories of our soon-to-open online store Esengo are made in Africa, in Ghana, supporting local small entrepreneurs and know-how.
In Finland and the Nordic countries, many individual African fashion brands have been emerging for the past few years, and Esengo is proud to be part of this wave.
Colors, colors, colors
In addition to its unique prints, Kitenge's trademark includes its vibrant and unique colors! As we all know, wearing colorful clothes directly affects your mood. So it's no wonder that kitenge clothes always put the wearer in a positive and happy mood! Our soon-to-be-launched online store, Esengo, has paid special attention to color choices and we have chosen the colors according to Finnish color preferences. So you should stay tuned, because soon you will get to know our wonderful Ankara products.
Do you have any other facts, thoughts or personal experiences about Ankara fabric that come to mind?
Let me know!