Furnishings & Interiors: African style
New handprinted furnishing fabrics
New handmade cushion covers
New no waste lampshades
Decorative African textiles
Home decor creations from Jenny Hall,
Carole Nevin and Kalk Bay Modern
Handprinted Furnishing Fabric
Ideal for upholstery
Perfect for cushions
Excellent for curtains
Brilliant for table cloths
Designed and handprinted in South Africa
by Carole Nevin and Kalk Bay Modern
Cushion Covers
Simple easy-to-fit designs
Unique fabrics from across our ranges
and across Africa
Designed and handmade by Jenny Hall
No waste Lampshades
Re-used and up-cycled lampshade frames
from charity shops
Re-covered with short lengths of
African fabrics leftover from our website
Designed and handmade by Jenny Hall
African Furnishing Fabric
Say 'Africa' with African furnishing fabrics
For upholstery, cushions, curtains,
table cloths and any creative
decor application
Made in Ghana by GTP
Our reorganised website puts a fresh focus on furnishing and interiors - African-style
What does 'African style' mean to you?
Is it 'in-your-face' colours? Or soft, subtle and natural?
Is it big, bold design? Or meticulously detailed pattern?
From handprinted furnishing fabrics and unique decorative textiles from across Africa, to cushion covers and lampshades designed and handmade by Jenny Hall - you're sure to find something that says 'Africa' to you. Browse now: African Furnishing & Interiors
Pick your favourite Bolga fan
Summer's here and the temperature's climbing.
Yup, we just hit a sweltering - sort of - 22 degrees Celsius here in Yorkshire.
Which means: time to stay cool with one of our latest selection of Bolga fans.
- Colourful
- Functional
- Decorative
- Comfortable leather-bound handle
- Handwoven in Bolgatanga, Ghana
- Each fan is a unique - there is only one
View and buy: our latest Bolga fans
New mud cloths from Mali
- Handwoven cotton
- Handpainted using natural pigments
Despite COVID and the precarious security situation in Mali, our well-connected pal Eric Boateng in Accra is still able to get mud cloths out of Mali and into The African Fabric Shop.
Our creative customers use mud cloth for all sorts of things:
- Decorative wallhangings
- Distinctive throws or blankets
- Upholstery applications
- Curtains
- Cushion covers
- Waistcoats and jackets
- Film and theatrical costuming
Thanks, Eric. As always, you're a star!
View and buy: our latest mud cloths from Mali
Left: weaving traditional Kente cloth © Robert IrwinRight: Exellent vintage Ewe Kente cloth VCC209 shows classic Ewe motifs and colours
Vintage Kente cloths online now
Kente is probably the most recognisable of Africa's many traditional textiles, adopted by Africans around the world as a symbol of their heritage. Early cloths were woven with imported silk, but since the 1920s Kente weavers have used rayon or rayon mixed with cotton.
There are two traditions:
- Ashanti Kente from the Ashanti region in central Ghana. Our favourite weaving village is Adanwomase, near Kumasi.
- Ewe Kente from the region straddling the border between Ghana and Togo.
Our vintage cloths are up to 25 years old, so they've aged gracefully and have a lovely, soft feel.
Old Kente cloths in excellent condition are very rare and expensive, but our smaller pieces are great examples of Kente at an affordable price.
View and buy: vintage Kente cloths
NEW online: vintage printing blocks
Some - but not all - traditional African wax prints were overprinted by hand using heavy wooden printing blocks.
These rare vintage printing blocks date back to the 1980s and were used up until 2007 in the print works of A Brunnschweiler & Co of Manchester - the last English wax print manufacturer.
- Genuine historic artefacts of Manchester's industrial heritage
- Great as a decorative item on a wall or bookshelf
- Or get creative - can be used for printing too!
Go to: Printing Blocks