African Dutch Wax Print Fabric

A wide selection of african wax print fabrics sold by the yard and by the fat quarter.

African dutch wax print fabric. Vlisco has been designing and manufacturing distinctive fabrics since 1846. This fabric has long been a favorite of mine largely due to its colorful nature and wonderful patterns. Dovetailed is an online african wax print fabric shop. The fabric found a market in west africa and by the 1960s europe was exporting millions of yards of fabric per year.

It has an interesting history originating in holland intended as a knockoff of indonesian batik print. Established in 2002 julius holland is a luxury african wax print brand made for modern women and men from all over the world focused on those who are curious sophisticated and fashion oriented but also with a strong sense of identity personal vision and respect for traditions. Julius holland is a brand of jansen naninck a family business of more than three generations and trading. The indonesian market didn t respond to the brighter graphic designs of wax print but it found a delighted reception in africa.

The method is called wax resist dying because the wax resists the dye from penetrating the entire cloth which is how patterns are made. The fabric is made from 100 cotton. Dutch wax prints fabrics go by many names. Wax print dates from the industrial revolution when english and dutch textile barons developed a way to mechanise batik production.

One feature of these materials is the lack of difference in the color intensity of the front and back sides. In sales and marketing vernacular african print is a general term used to identify a category of textiles using 100 cotton fabric in vibrant colors which are printed by machine using wax resins and dyes so that they have a batik like effect on both sides of the fabric. Later between the 1930s to the 1950s their appeal spread further across west africa through the nana benz female entrepreneurs who would pick up the fabrics from the coast and trade them throughout togo. The designs are always mirrored on the front and back of the fabric cotton cloth.

The wax fabric can be sorted into categories of quality due to the processes of manufacturing. Ships worldwide from the uk. They are industrially produced colorful cotton cloths with batik inspired printing. Ankara wax prints ankara african wax prints african prints holland wax dutch wax wax hollandais veritable dutch hollandais.

The range and combination of colours used is extremely varied and emphasizes the unique styles of vlisco fabrics. Normally the fabrics are sold in lengths of 12 yards as full p. Patterns and prints that inherit the african culture. The first dutch wax prints landed in africa on on the african gold coast that today is ghana where they became the style and symbols of status.

One of the colours is often used to highlight a natural bubbling effect which contributes to a unique and lively appearance. The owner adaku parker is a barrister turned designer. African wax prints also known as ankara and dutch wax prints are omnipresent and common materials for clothing in africa especially west africa. Vlisco wax hollandais is a special wax fabric with one or two core colours fitted into the wax hollandais design.

It also goes by the names of super wax java and ankara with wax.