Imagine yourself going for an interview or a business proposal and you appear in your Ankara blazer and trouser. Nice, isn’t it? That’s what makes it different from every other material. It is bright and colorful and it makes one stand out wherever and whenever. That’s the nature of Ankara and that’s what makes it different from other fabrics. It is an attire for every occasion. It is associated with Africa but its origin is not purely or wholly African. It is made through an Indonesian wax dyeing technique known as batik. It resists dye from penetrating the entire fabric thereby creating vibrant patterns on it.
Ankara is globally acceptable in all parts of the World but it’s given special treatment in West African as compared to countries that have different patterns of the Ankara. People use it as a uniform for parties and for electoral purposes to mention a few. It was formerly known to be used by the poor people but it has taken a turn to be accepted by both rich and poor because of the variation in prices. As such it is versatile and can be used in making brooches, lapel pins, bags, footwear, earrings, hat, or bomber jacket.
The African print is unique and as such it has taken a turn to be accepted to beautify interiors. Tourist centers and restaurants use it to cover up their furniture and wallpaper just to bring out the beauty of Africa culture and also for our culture not to go into extinction. Each design talks about something that brings us back to the core culture of Africa. Its colourful nature portrays the fact that, unlike the whites, we are blacks but we still various complexion. It depicts a colourful and beautiful nature we African are created.
Maintainance of the fabric
To maintain its durability, certain factors have to be put in place to care for your African print and also to keep it colourful. There are measures to be taken to maintain the colourful nature. You have to know your print well to know what to use for the laundry and what not to use. It is also important to note that starch keeps the Ankara fabric new. It’s important to care for the fabric, so it won’t fade off easily but last long. The quality of the print also determines how long it will last. The texture of the fabric and also the quality also determines how long it will last.
Acronym of Ankara
A – Accessible to all.
N – Never to be underrated.
K – Knowing your fabric is sequential to knowing your environment.
A – Absence of the print is a dull Africa.
R – Repping the beautiful African heritage.
A – Absolute care makes it last longer and maintains its colour.
