Indigo fabric is originally a traditional cloth from the Dogon tribe in southwest Mali, but it is one of the most popular fabrics of Africa. Symbolic of wealth and prosperity, this fabric is admired by many different cultures in Africa (Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, etc.). The indigo process is long and complex.
After the cotton has been transformed into thread, 14cm-wide strips are woven, assembled together to create a large stole 1m-large and dyed.
Indigo dyeing is traditionally a natural dyeing technique derived from a plant called indigofera tinctoria or true indigo. The leaves of this small bush are used to create indigo, which characterize this profound blue color. The leaves are mixed with organic matter and left several days for fermentation. The cloth is then immerged in this mixture for 24 hours. After the first bath the cloth is left to dry. The coloration stage is repeated several times until the required color is achieved. It is also at this stage that the design is created using the tie and dye technic. The fabric is then dried and washed.