AFRICAN KENTE CLOTH DESIGNS IN GHANA

Genesis 3:21  "And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them." 

The clothing we make use of is made of different materials with different qualities. What informs your choice of cloth or dress? My intention is to create in you that ideal reality of what African-made clothes carry. These amazing African clothes have transcended borders of Ghana and beyond just because the value of the clothes is immense. 

Loom is used for a silk type of cloth.

One of the valuable assets of sub-Saharan Africa is cloth. According to history, Africans started making their own clothes a long time before civilization. At that time when there was no machine to extract cotton, thread it and make it ready for garment construction, the Africans had their own way out of garments makeup. 

Our update is going to be based on specifically Ghana. Some of the regions of Ghana weave their own clothes. The nature and method used for weaving these clothes differ from region to region. Surprisingly, these differences were a result of the diverse cultures that exist in the various regions. There exist some sort of disparity between the clothes from ethnic group to ethnic group and the choice of thread types and designs too are different and they are chosen based on distinct uses.

Why do you need a 'kente' cloth?

• Kente cloth is durable. These locally made clothes have a very thick nature and feel. If you get one for yourself, you will make use of it for over many years but the quality does not easily fade. These clothes are international clothes for all kinds of dresses and outfits. Kings and queens of Ashanti make great use of these clothes. It just tells you the honor that our locally made clothes carry. People come from Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria, and among other countries all over the continent to get these clothes. They are specially made for both males and females with their respective properties or identities.

A nice cloth that can be sewn as a dress.

• Great fit for occasions. Mostly we see a detachment of these clothes having the names of people written on them or their position in competitions. For instance, those who welcome important people after they have landed in Ghana like presidents of other countries use these clothes to show our culture. Have you come across that? I think you now believe me when I write about the essence of our locally made clothes. Among the Ewe of Ghana, during the naming ceremony of a newly born baby, it is very common to see the parents and families dressed in white kente clothes with different designs. 

• Carries rich cultural value: Every tribe has its own cultural identity and kente cloth really identifies and differentiates the people of Ghana from other cultures because of the importance attached to these clothes. It is a prestige and an honor for a person to be adorned with these kind of clothes among the Ghanaian community.

 

The kente type shown above is woven from a combination of silk and cotton threads. The type shown above here can be used by both males and females and it can be used to sew dress or used just as it is. These clothes cost very much because of the creative designs they incorporate.

Many are the categories of clothes you will find among the Ewes, Ashanti, Fante, and Northeners of the Ghanaian community. Some of the clothes are just raw with no designs or combination of different colors of threads but one color throughout.