Bògòlanfini "mud cloth"
Bògòlanfini, or "mud cloth," is a type of textile made by the Bambara people of Mali (as well as by related groups including the Bobo-Oulé, Dogon, Malinké, and Sénufo). The "bogolan" process begins with the hand-spinning of raw cotton, a task done by the women. This cotton is then woven into narrow strips, typically by men (see image). These are then trimmed to a lenth of two yards or less, and sewn together, creating a textile about the right size for a body wrap. There is some confusion surrounding the dying of bògòlanfini. What follows is a nuts-and-bolts description of the process.
First, the white cotton textile is soaked in a mordant solution, made from the leaves of two trees, the N'galama (Anogeissus leiocarpa) and N'tjankara (Combretum glutinosum). The resulting cloth is a deep yellow color. It is then dyed with a special, iron-rich mud, which is collected from settling ponds and fermented for two weeks, or longer. The textile may be completely covered in this mud solution, or a pattern may be applied by hand (see image). After being dried and washed, the result is a cloth with a yellow pattern on a black or brown background. To achieve the desired level of contrast, a caustic soda solution (savon de sodani) is applied to the yellow areas, bleaching them white. If the textile has been dyed all black, then the patterns are bleached into it with a stencil (see image). In the end, all of the excess mud-dye and soda are washed away, leaving a soft-textured cloth with a brightly-contrasting pattern.
No-one knows when this process originated, but it seems to be quite ancient. What is known is that bògòlanfini never goes out of style! Contemporary fashion designers (including Malian designer Chris Seydou), have made good use of the dramatic, contrasting patterns of bògòlanfini in contemporary haute couture.
Bògòlanfini, or "mud cloth," is a type of textile made by the Bambara people of Mali (as well as by related groups including the Bobo-Oulé, Dogon, Malinké, and Sénufo). The "bogolan" process begins with the hand-spinning of raw cotton, a task done by the women. This cotton is then woven into narrow strips, typically by men (see image). These are then trimmed to a lenth of two yards or less, and sewn together, creating a textile about the right size for a body wrap. There is some confusion surrounding the dying of bògòlanfini. What follows is a nuts-and-bolts description of the process.
First, the white cotton textile is soaked in a mordant solution, made from the leaves of two trees, the N'galama (Anogeissus leiocarpa) and N'tjankara (Combretum glutinosum). The resulting cloth is a deep yellow color. It is then dyed with a special, iron-rich mud, which is collected from settling ponds and fermented for two weeks, or longer. The textile may be completely covered in this mud solution, or a pattern may be applied by hand (see image). After being dried and washed, the result is a cloth with a yellow pattern on a black or brown background. To achieve the desired level of contrast, a caustic soda solution (savon de sodani) is applied to the yellow areas, bleaching them white. If the textile has been dyed all black, then the patterns are bleached into it with a stencil (see image). In the end, all of the excess mud-dye and soda are washed away, leaving a soft-textured cloth with a brightly-contrasting pattern.
No-one knows when this process originated, but it seems to be quite ancient. What is known is that bògòlanfini never goes out of style! Contemporary fashion designers (including Malian designer Chris Seydou), have made good use of the dramatic, contrasting patterns of bògòlanfini in contemporary haute couture.
Bògòlanfini, or "mud cloth," is a type of textile made by the Bambara people of Mali (as well as by related groups including the Bobo-Oulé, Dogon, Malinké, and Sénufo). The "bogolan" process begins with the hand-spinning of raw cotton, a task done by the women. This cotton is then woven into narrow strips, typically by men (see image). These are then trimmed to a lenth of two yards or less, and sewn together, creating a textile about the right size for a body wrap. There is some confusion surrounding the dying of bògòlanfini. What follows is a nuts-and-bolts description of the process.
First, the white cotton textile is soaked in a mordant solution, made from the leaves of two trees, the N'galama (Anogeissus leiocarpa) and N'tjankara (Combretum glutinosum). The resulting cloth is a deep yellow color. It is then dyed with a special, iron-rich mud, which is collected from settling ponds and fermented for two weeks, or longer. The textile may be completely covered in this mud solution, or a pattern may be applied by hand (see image). After being dried and washed, the result is a cloth with a yellow pattern on a black or brown background. To achieve the desired level of contrast, a caustic soda solution (savon de sodani) is applied to the yellow areas, bleaching them white. If the textile has been dyed all black, then the patterns are bleached into it with a stencil (see image). In the end, all of the excess mud-dye and soda are washed away, leaving a soft-textured cloth with a brightly-contrasting pattern.
No-one knows when this process originated, but it seems to be quite ancient. What is known is that bògòlanfini never goes out of style! Contemporary fashion designers (including Malian designer Chris Seydou), have made good use of the dramatic, contrasting patterns of bògòlanfini in contemporary haute couture.