Mud Cloth: Behind the Design

I have a thing for handmade.



Maybe it's because I grew up watching my dad build things around the house, and literally build us a house with his own two hands.
My mom was busy sewing, knitting, painting, crafting, cooking, you name it. She did it. And still does.
I guess it's a family thing.
And it's the roots of our company, SheBloom.
I love offering things that are homegrown and made by hand with keen attention to detail.
That personal investment makes a difference.




I think that's why I went gaga over mud cloth when I came across it. 





This popular cotton fabric that orginated in Africa is fantastic, with playful patterns that tell stories of courage and tribes. We're using it in a new line of vintage authentic mud cloth pillows you can see here.

So is mud cloth really made with mud and why is it so cool?
My hubby asked me the same questions so I put together a little Q&A so you can get some history about why having one of these in your house is really a gem.



What is mud cloth made of?
Bògòlanfini or bogolan (Bambara: bɔgɔlanfini; "mud cloth") is a handmade Malian cotton fabric traditionally dyed with fermented mud. It has an important place in traditional Malian culture. The ornately patterned fabric can take four days to a week to make, depending on humidity, rain and weather conditions.

Where does it come from? 
Bògòlanfini comes from the Bambara language: bogo, meaning “earth” or “mud;” lan, meaning “with;” and fini, meaning “cloth.” It is the name used for a cloth decorated by women in the Bamana-speaking region of Mali, using dye made from mud and leaves to produce white design outlines by a black/brown background.

Can you wash mud cloth?
Handspun and handwoven in Mali, these cloths are painted with natural dyes that are made from mud and plants. Mud cloth can be washed in cold water without much color loss. However, as the dyes are natural and may wash out over time, dry cleaning is preferable.


My dog Bloom eating mud and then posing for a pic near the mud cloth pillows.


What process do Artisans go through to make mud cloth?
They begin by soaking cotton cloth in a dye bath of tree leaves. Historically, the cloth is sun-dried then painted repeatedly with fermented mud, which chemically reacts with the tree leaves and leaves the cloth a rich brown even after the mud is washed off. Unpainted parts of the mudcloth are washed or bleached off to reveal intricate designs. Men typically weave the cloth and women dye it. 





Is there a meaning to the patterns?
Yes. One of the many things that make traditional mud cloth so special is that each piece has a story to tell. Even the arrangement of the symbols on the cloth reveals something secret about the intended meaning, and this language of the cloth was passed down from mother to daughter. There are some basic symbols that everyone agrees on – a twirl for life and a concentric circle to represent the world, for example. But these motifs were traditionally codes for a small group of people. They just weren’t meant to be understood by the uninitiated. It is the language of a community so there will always be just a little bit of mystery for the outsider.  Social status, a persons character or occupation, and the history of a village can all be portrayed in a piece of mud cloth. Some pieces of mud cloth portray African proverbs or histories of African communities. Even now, in Africa, many people are careful with what they wear as they believe that each color and symbol has a meaning.



What patterns are your favorite?
You can check out these sources below to get more info on mud cloth and get further details about what each pattern means.
I love a good surprise!

Sources:
https://www.swahilimodern.com/pages/african-mud-cloth-bogolan-fabric
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%B2g%C3%B2lanfini
http://www.designsponge.com/2014/07/past-present-behind-mud-cloth.html
http://africaimports.com/mmAFRICAIMP5/Images/X-057Mudcloth-Information-Sheet-nologo.pdf
https://www.zuricollection.com/blogs/news/the-history-of-mud-cloth



















Comments

  1. Super cool. I never thought about the name!

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    Replies
    1. Right?!! So cool. I loved the idea of people using natural materials to create something so unique.

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