Mud Cloth / Bogolan

Genuine hand-painted mud cloth from Mali

Mud cloth - also called 'bogolan' - is one of Africa's most unusual and unique textiles.

Narrow strips of handwoven cotton are stitched together into a whole cloth, then painted with patterns and symbols using a variety of natural dyes, including river mud that has been aged up to one year. As these cloths are handwoven, the thickness and weight are variable, but generally they are similar to a light blanket.

Usually, each cloth is a unique creation: there is only one.  

Sizes vary, usually about 100 x 170 cm / 40 x 66 inches.

Rare, extra large mud cloths sometimes available, usually about 155 x 230 cm / 61 x 90 inches.

Read and print story Bogolan: Artistry in Mud

© Robert Irwin and Magie Relph, Patchwork & Quilting, 2011