Indigo fabric is one of the most popular fabrics from Africa. Symbolic of wealth and prosperity, this fabric is admired by almost every ethnic group on the continent. Even the Tuareg have been called the “purple nomads” because of their extensive use of this cloth.
The cotton fabric is first hand-woven on looms and then dyed using leaves from the indigo plant that have been beaten into a pulp, rolled into balls, and then left to dry in the sun for two to three days. After this, they are mixed in an ash and water solution that acts as a fixative for the indigo dye. The fabric is dyed using tie-dye or plain-print method, and the excess dye is removed by hammering the fabric with rubber mallets. Indigo dye often rubs off onto the skin, so do not be surprised if this happens when you handle the fabric. 60”x42”. Made in Mali.
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