New Langa Lapu sunprints
Just arrived from South Africa
Fabrics to drool over
Hand-dyed, of course
'Thank you' Pru, Poppie, Charlotte and Tilla
New and inspiring
Colours pages
Choosing colours
and fabrics
just got easier
African Inspirations
Quilt kits
Bag kits
Jewellery kits
Hand-dyed threads
Collectables and artefacts
African home decor
African fashion
Welcome to The African Fabric Shop
Magie Relph & Bob Irwin
To boldly go where TripAdvisor doesn't
Kuba Cloth from Congo
Handmade from raffia palm
Graphically distinctive
Richly evocative of central Africa
Perfect as a wallhanging
Re-purpose as cushion covers
Use your imagination
African Home Decor
Luscious lampshades
Comfy cushion covers
No waste creations
by Jenny Hall
Textiles and Fabrics
from across Africa
African Beads
Recycled glass, brass, plastic and paper
Shell, bone, clay and stone
Genuine Bolga Baskets
Quality baskets - fairly traded
Handmade by the weavers of
the Baba Tree Basket Company
in Bolgatanga, Ghana
Vintage & collectable African textiles
The textile treasures we couldn't resist on our travels
Books
about African textiles
Creating with colour, African-style
We've just launched a whole new section on our website called Colours.
We've brought together fabrics and other items from across our website and across Africa into colour themes. Check out: Sunrise, Rainforest, Savannah, River, Pure Indigo, Sunset and Night.
Choosing colours and fabrics could never be easier.
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