Ankara originated from western Africa and spread through east and southern Africa. It is a beautiful traditional attire worn at wedding ceremonies. They are also vibrant patterns of very rich colorful designs. It is mostly made of 100% cotton or cotton poly material. Originally the wax resist dyed fabrics were exported to the Gold Coast and spread over West Africa into Central Africa and were largely produced in Nigeria. They became extremely popular over time and were initially worn as every day casual outfits customized to suit the designs of the person wearing it. Nowadays they are primarily made in Ghana and have a strong cultural, social and economic importance.

Uses for Ankara (African Wax)

Africans are very creative and use these bold, festive fabrics to tell stories, poems and traditional African tales. Depending on the pattern of the design a specific name is given for example you will often hear people refer to the different design names like star, concord, shell, etc.

The cotton fabric used for Ankara is cool and durable and can be worn in various styles. African waxes are commonly worn in parties, weddings and other similar African occasions as aso-ebi. This is a Yoruba phrase for family cloth. The custom in Nigeria was for people from the same family to wear the same cloth to show you belong to a certain family. Now it can be worn as a uniform for the same group of friends in a party or more commonly in African Weddings. The blend of colors in these events makes it vibrant, fun and celebratory.