African Fabrics

High quality African fabrics. This African wax print fabric is perfect for making your own colorful clothes. 100% quality cotton which is printed on both sides. Many designs are known in the fashion of African countries. We sell fabrics of the brands Vlisco, AfricanFabs Holland, Julius Holland, Mitex Holland & more!

What are the characteristics of African fabrics?

African fabrics are characterized by the use of mostly colorful, vibrant designs. The authentic African fabrics are double sided printed on 100% cotton by means of the "wax block" principle. The fabrics almost always have a width of between 45 and 48 inches (114 - 122 cm). African fabrics are standard made with a total length of 6 yards (548 cm). This is partly due to the fact that from this standard length both a skirt, a top and a headscarf or sling could be made. Because our customers use these fabrics for many more applications, we offer the fabrics starting from a 1 yard (91cm) length. This way you can buy multiple fabrics, without having to buy 6 yards per design.

What can I use African fabrics for?

The possibilities of African fabrics are literally endless. Everywhere you want to apply color you can use these fabrics. Of course the fabrics are often used to make beautiful clothes like dresses, skirts and tops. Apart from the application for clothing, the fabrics are often used to make headscarves, baby slings, jewelry and even shoes. Also, these fabrics are used for upholstering furniture, making patchwork, quilting, upholstering lamps, making tablecloths, making works of art, decorating parties and so on! Be creative :-)

What is the history of African fabrics?

African wax fabrics originated at the beginning of the 19th century. They are derived from the batik fabrics from the former Dutch East Indies. The manual technique for making batik fabrics was automated in this period by some Dutch entrepreneurs. Initially these fabrics were intended for the market in the Dutch East Indies, but this did not work. By coincidence, these fabrics became popular in West Africa, which made the prints more suited to the demand and circumstances of the local people in various African countries. In this way, over time, the African fabrics have become a well known concept, which nowadays is conquering its popularity all over the world! The African fabics even have different names within the African continent. Some call them ankara fabrics, kitenge fabrics or khanga fabrics.

Do the African fabrics actually contain a wax layer?

No. Many people think that the final product ( the African wax print fabric ) contains a kind of stiff wax layer, this is not the case. The term wax comes from the coloring process of the fabrics, where the colors are applied to specific parts of the fabric, by shielding the other parts with a wax layer (nowadays mostly resin). This wax layer is then removed, and after the whole process the fabric is still thoroughly cleaned. The final product of the well-known brands is a very fine and supple cotton fabric with a beautiful double sided color print, but does not contain wax residue.