This document provides an overview of the history and cultural significance of African textiles and clothing. It discusses: - The origins of cloth production in Africa dating back to ancient Egypt in 2000 BCE. Archaeological evidence shows weaving in Nigeria from the 9th century and Mali from the 11th century. - The main types of textile looms used in Africa - double-heddle looms for narrow strips and single-heddle looms for wider pieces. Weaving represents important cultural traditions passed down through generations. - Specific woven fabrics like Bogolanfini mud cloth from Mali, Asoke cloth from Yoruba culture in colors of indigo, brown and silk, and Kuba

1. Costume and
Fashion of Africa

2. Introduction
• African clothing is known for its colorful fabrics
and distinctive designs. But few people take the
time to examine the cultural significance of African
fashion. The presence of textiles in the African
world dates back to Phoenician times. At various
times in history, migration, and integration have
spread African textiles to different regions of
Africa and the world. The colorful clothes of Africa
first became a sign of wealth around 1000 BC
during the period of the trans- Saharan trade
when traders used strip cloth as a form of
currency. As a result, African textiles became
known worldwide. During the European coastal
trade in the 1400‘s, African fabrics where
preferred by traders over fine European fabrics.
Traders used African cloth in the triangular trade
of the 17th and 19th centuries. African traders
exchanged cloth from India for

3. The precise origins of cloth production in Africa are lost in time, but archaeological findings
indicate some of the earliest sites. Drawings of looms can be seen in the tombs of ancient Egypt,
dating back to at least 2000 B.C.E. Archaeologists have found linen remnants in ancient Egypt,
as well as fifth-century cotton cloth remnants in Meroe, in northern Sudan. In West Africa,
woven fiber pieces dating back to the ninth century C.E. have been found in Nigeria, and woven
cotton cloth dating to the eleventh century has been recovered in Mali. Evidence of loom use
in Mauritania dates back to the eleventh century.
Clothing in Africa
The two main kind of textile looms in Africa are the double-heddle loom, used for narrow strips
of cloth, and the single-heddle loom, used for wider pieces. The narrow strips are typically sewn
together, then cut into patterns for clothing. The double-heddle loom is generally used only by
male weavers, who use it to weave in colored threads and create richly textured fabrics. In
addition, weavers in North Africa and in Ethiopia also use ground looms, while looms similar to
those used in Southeast Asia are found in Madagascar. Although Africa's weavers produce a
wide variety of patterned, colored fabric, they also weave plain cloth. This cloth can either be
used "as is" for daily wear around the home, or it can be decorated. Common fabric-decorating
techniques include appliqué designs, sewn on in contrasting fabrics; embroidery with brightly

4. In order of traditionand value, 1) weaves, 2) tie dyes, 3) batiks, and 4) industrialprints represent the four types
of cloth Africans use to create clothing. Woven cloth, the oldest and most valuabletype of fabric, is the most
time consuming to make. Weaving represents a traditionthat passes down from father to son and from uncle to
nephew, and from mother to daughterand aunt to niece. The complexity of the weave, the color, and the type of
thread used, determines the value of the fabric. The use of locallyspun threads enhances the value of the cloth,
as Africans believe that imported textiles have no ancestral link and therefore less value. Today,despite this
belief, Africans sometimes use Europeanmanufacturedthread to weave cloth.
Types of Clothing
Bogolanfini,aso oke, kuba raffia, kente, and
country cloth offer examples of woven cloth.
Bogolanfini,also known as mud cloth, is the
traditional clothfrom the countryside north of
the
Maliancapital,Bamako. With rich blacks,
browns,
and whites, sections of cloths are composed of
individualmotifs or a combinationof motifs such
as
―fish bones‖, ―little stars‖, or ―square‖.

7. Asoke, a traditional cloth of the Yoruba, has three main designs: etu, a dark blue indigo
dyed cloth (a verse from an Ifa divination text describes it as the ―father of all cloths‖);
sanyan, a brown cloth woven from the beige silk of the Anaphe moth; and alaari, woven
from Southern European silk obtained from the Sahara via Tripoli.
Kuba raffia, the traditional cloth of the
Kuba
people of the Democratic Republic of
Congo,
remains an example of a tradition of
raffia
weaving that was once widespread
throughout
central Africa.
Kente, probably the best known of these, was
worn by the political authorities and high-
ranking officials of the Ashanti people presently
found in Ghana. A colorful fabric of golds,
yellows, reds, blacks, greens, and blues, each
intricately designed piece of fabric is a
functional
object that conveys messages about historical

8. Native
clothing
• Kaftans
• Kaftans,which are also called boubous, are
full-length embroidered robes. This garment,
which
• today is mainly worn by East African
women, was originally only worn by West
African men.
• Made from cotton or silk, kaftans button
down the front.It's also the traditional female
clothing
• of many countries in West Africa such as
Mali, Senegal and Ghana.

9. African Women'sClothing
Traditional African women's clothing comes in various
styles, prints and colors ranging fromearthtones to
vibrantindigos. Women's clothing may include beaded
skirts, blankets and veils with elaborate motifs. African
women are known for their colorfuljewelry, which is
made fromcopper, beads and grasses. Ndebele women,
living in South Africa's Gauteng Province, arenoted for
wearing colorfultraditional clothing adorned with
beadwork. Becausetemperatures can soar as high as
125
degrees in the Sahara Desert, it's common to see
women there going topless.

10. THANK YOU
Present by:
Sunita Suthar
M.sc - 1year