African print fabrics are factory printed cloths that are used across sub-Saharan Africa but are often import products that have been manufactured elsewhere. A brief historic overview reveals a complex network of cross cultural exchange that serves to demonstrate how these fabrics have become integral to local heritage practices.

Definition

African print fabric has a complex history of cross cultural exchange. Tracing its journey through time reveals patterns that portray multiple identities, functions and meanings. But before giving a brief historic outline I will attempt to clarify how exactly the term is defined in this context…continue reading

A brief history

Although this study looks at African print fabric as a generic object in terms of its design make-up, it acknowledges its many different manifestations that have their roots in the history of global textile trade. The following paragraphs are only able to broach the surface of a complex network…continue reading

Questions of authenticity

Authentic culture is here understood as the production of cultural values that are constructed through local human-material encounters, a coalescence that does not subject itself to the boundaries of a brand or corporate identity…continue reading