Documentary on African Cloth Dyeing

By Kwadwo Opoku | Jan. 21st 4:21pm

While current records are unsure of the true origins of the Tie and Dye technique, analysts believe that it may have originated in the Senegal-Gambia area, around the 15th century.

The technique typically used the Cola nut and Indigo dyes on the fabric to create its amazingly beautiful patterns. In these days, we have industrial substitutes, synthetic dyes and other dye combinations which can also be used in Tie and Dye but interestingly enough, the original way of doing it has been preserved through out the centuries and is still in use today.

This traditional method has stayed mostly in the West African area since the cola nut mostly grows well there as supposed to other places in the world. This helps make the cloth printed with colanut ink seem more rare and treasured, since its in very high demand and can only be obtained from a certain area.