Top Differences between Wax Prints and other African Print Fabrics

There are a few things that all Wax prints and African Print Fabrics have in common – they are bold, beautiful and a popular fashion trend. While they may have those things in common, there are still differences between the four most commonly used African print fabrics. Keep reading to learn the differences between each type of fabric.

Wax African Print Fabric

Waxed fabric, also known as Batik, was a technique first created in Indonesia. The process was brought back to Africa and recreated to better suit its culture. To begin, a design is drawn on the cloth with wax and then once the wax dries, color dye is added to those spaces in-between the wax areas. This process can be completed several times with various colors in order to create the desired pattern. Once you are all finished and the cloth is completely dry, the wax can be removed either by boiling the fabric or scraping the wax off. When intricate designs are completed only by hand, it can take up to an entire year to complete. However, most wax prints are roller printed for faster production in today’s society and also tend to be the most expensive type of fabric compared to others.

Other African Print Fabrics

Kente

Unlike Wax prints, Kente cloth is used to created geometric intertwined designs using a special loom with long four inch wide pieces of fabric. Kente cloth originally began as only black and white and over the course of time has been able to evolve into a variety of bright colors. Once a variety of long and narrow strips with Kente cloth have been created, they are then sewn together and from there used to design the desired look – whether that’s pants, a dress, skirt, shirt or a headband.

Mudcloth

Whether you want to communicate your social status or your occupation that is one thing you can do with Mudcloth prints that you cannot do with waxed print fabrics. While it may not be commonly used in every location across the world as a form of communication, it still is a unique feature that other African print fabrics do not contain. The colors, symbols, patterns, shapes and arrangements each tell their own unique story – how amazing is that? Mudcloth allows you to tell your story freely without even having to say a single word.

Dashiki

While Wax Prints tend to be the more expensive option, that does not mean that they are the most worn. Dashiki print fabrics are more commonly worn today all around the world mainly because of their symbolism. From oversized loose t-shirts to skirts, pants and even prom dresses, they are trendy and most definitely in style for both men and women. While all of these fabrics contain an African history, nothing compares to the Dashiki print fabric when it comes to black pride and everything it encompasses!

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With 20 years of experience in the African fabrics market, AKN Fabrics guarantees you the best product, selection, price and overall service. We are specialists in the finest fabrics from Holland, London, African Gambia, West Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, and India. We specialize in Jacquards, hand embroidery, silks, seersuckers, cottons, quilting fabrics various other West African fabrics.