Many of our customers are curious about mud cloth, what is is, how its made. I thought I’d share and maybe shed some more light on this beautiful textile. The story behind mud cloth is almost a romantic one. It hails from Northern Africa, specifically the country of Mali. Bògòlanfini, as it is called in Mali, loosely translates to “Earth made with cloth”. What almost romanticizes this tradition is that historically it is made by men, and decorated by the women of Mali. Plain, thin pieces of cotton fabric is woven to into squares, which is then stitched together. 

Once the fabric is constructed it is the dyed in baths of leaves and branches. The women then decorate the dried fabric with beautiful patterns using mud. As the mud dries, it changes colour and the excess mud is washed off. This process is repeated many times and then left to dry for a week. These patterns are symbolic to the weavers and carry meaning to the wearer or onlookers.

As an aspiring minimalist, I’ve always been a quality over quantity girl. From home decor to fashion, it’s always been about fit a fabric. For this reason I was drawn to mud cloth, the simple prints and of course the texture! It’s the best of both worlds, minimal repeated prints and warmth in texture. These prints can be styled paired back for a more minimal aesthetic, mixing prints for a more layered cosier look or keep to a colour palette if that’s what you prefer. Either way, Mud Cloth is a great way to introduce natural texture in your home!