Ankara Fabrics
Ankara, also known as Ankara fabric is very popular worn fabric by Africans and manly West-Africans. Ankara fabrics or Ankara prints is another meaning for Dutch wax of Wax hollandaise / Holland Waxblock. Ankara fabrics are the most famous and well known fabrics for more than 100 years in the West of Africa for their clothing market.
Around the end of the 19th century the first fabrics from Europe starts to become more and more popular in West- and Central Africa. This all started with what it’s called Ankara fabrics nowadays. Untill today ankara fabrics are still the most famous and worn fabrics in the West and Central Africa. The ankara fabrics are vibrant patterns, colourful and many of them are associated to the tribes are cultures of the West-African countries.
The cultural heritage of the West-Africa clothing of Ankara fabrics is very important for status and meaning. The Ankara fabrics are mainly classic designs made by Vlisco in Holland and are worn by both old and young women. This heritage of these fabrics is handed over from mother to daughter. Therefore many classic Ankara designs are more than 100 years old and still produced today. The fabrics are made in Holland and got their names and meaning in Africa.
Ankara fabrics are made with the very unique technique of wax block. That makes these fabrics different from other cotton printing techniques.
This technique makes it possible that the ankara designs rest for a lifetime, colour authentic and made to survive in the extreme different weather conditions in Africa. The colours of the ankara prints never disappear when washing and the ankara fabrics are protected of stains and filth.
All Ankara fabrics are made of 100% cotton and is mainly produced in the size 6 yards. Also 12 yards and 4 yards are common and very little 2 yards fents are available in our store. A 6 yards fabric is about 5,5 meters in length. The width of the fabric is 120 cm. The main Ankara fabrics are Wax hollandaise / Waxblock fabrics and Superwax fabrics.
Designs of Ankara Fabrics
Each Ankara design has its own meaning if we talk about the classic designs. Some designs are more than 100 years old and still produced today. Some designs are only used in a single tribe and some are used in many more countries in the West of Africa. Each tribe or country have their own name and meaning for the Ankara prints. Some names are easily related to actual shape or figure of the design. Like a print of horse that is jumping is called “jumping horse”
Besides the classic Ankara designs, modern designs become more popular as well. Especially by the young women, which prefer new things. Those modern designs are being adopted really fast by the African people and sometimes they get a name and meaning as well. Within that short period of time a design can become an authentic Ankara fabric.
Brands
Jansen Holland House of premium fabrics has two main brands in the assortment. Julius Holland and Vlisco. Jansen Holland is well known for the ankara fabrics of both Julius Holland and Vlisco. Julius Holland is their own brand in production and distribution. The Julius Holland ankara fabrics are vibrant, three dimensional, with respect to the West and Mid African culture and ready to make clothing out of it.
Julius Holland ankara collection is up to date and every 2 months you can choose out of a new collection of beautiful colourful ankara prints.
Besides the famous Julius Holland ankara fabrics Jansen Holland has the biggest assortment of Vlisco ankara fabrics in the world and a large range of classic and modern designs to serve every customer needs.