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Shweshwe

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Chocolate brown shweshwe

Shweshwe is an indigo dyed printed cotton dress fabric previously imported to South Africa from Europe and now made only in South Africa, traditionally used to make clothing worn by Sotho and Xhosa women. The textile printing designs are characterised by intricate geometric patterns.[1][2]

Name

Xhosa women in traditional costume wearing blue shweshwe aprons

The local name shweshwe is believed to be derived from the fabric's association with Lesotho's King Moshoeshoe I,[3][4] (also spelled "Mshweshwe" and pronounced "moe-SHWAY-shway").[5] Moshoeshoe I was gifted with the fabric by French missionaries in the 1840s and subsequently popularised it.[3][6][7]

It is also known as "German print", sejeremane in Sotho,[6] and ujamani in Xhosa, after 19th century German and Swiss settlers who imported the blauwdruk ("blue print") fabric for their clothing and helped entrench it in South African culture.[3][7][8]

Uses

Shweshwe is traditionally used to make dresses, skirts, aprons and wraparound clothing. Clothing made from shweshwe is traditionally worn by new Xhosa brides and married Sotho women at ceremonies.[4][6][9][10] Today shweshwe is also used in contemporary South African fashion design for women and men from all ethnic groups.[1][4][10]

Production

Shweshwe is manufactured with an acid discharge and roller printing technique on pure cotton calico.[1][4][11] It is printed in widths of 90cm, in all-over patterns and A-shaped skirt panels printed side by side. Today it is manufactured in colours other than indigo, including chocolate brown and red, in a large variety of designs including florals, stripes, and diamond, square and circular geometric patterns.[7][12]

Previously imported to South Africa from Europe, the trademarked fabric has been manufactured by Da Gama Textiles in the Zwelitsha township outside King William's Town in the Eastern Cape since 1982.[3][4][6][7] In 1992 Da Gama Textiles bought the sole rights to Three Cats, the most popular brand of the fabric made by Spruce Manufacturing Co. Ltd in Manchester, and the original engraved copper rollers were shipped to South Africa.[8][13]

The local textile industry, including shweshwe production by Da Gama Textiles, has subsequently been threatened by competition from cheaper inferior quality imitations made locally and imported from China and Pakistan.[4][7][9][14] As at November 2013, shweshwe production by Da Gama Textiles had reduced to five million metres per annum.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Rovine, Victoria L. (2012). "Handmade textiles: global markets and authenticity". In Dudley, Sandra H. (ed.). Museum Objects: Experiencing the Properties of Things. Oxon: Routledge. pp. 276–277. ISBN 9781135721473.
  2. ^ a b Davie, Lucille (18 November 2013). "Shweshwe, the denim of South Africa". Media Club South Africa. Archived from the original on 20 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b c d Kuper, Jeremy (19 April 2013). "London shows material interest in Africa's old clothes". Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f Holmes, Thalia (22 November 2013). "The fabric of society needs underpinning". Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ McNeil Jr, Donald G. (16 January 1996). "King of Tiny Land Circled by South Africa Dies in Car Plunge". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  6. ^ a b c d Futhwa, Fezekile (2012). Setho: Afrikan Thought and Belief System. Nalane ka Fezekile Futhwa. pp. 107–115. ISBN 9780620503952.
  7. ^ a b c d e Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Date_validation at line 986: bad argument #3 to 'format' (string expected, got nil).
  8. ^ a b "History of Shweshwe". Da Gama Textiles. Archived from the original on 9 August 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b Miti, Siya (11 May 2013). "Textile sector threat to fabric of society". Daily Dispatch. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ a b "Material women? The shweshwe story". Iziko Museums. Archived from the original on 20 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ deVillemarette, Cynthia (July–August 2010). "Shweshwe: A True Blue Passion". The Country Register of Tennessee & Kentucky. The designs are created using a discharge process, unlike modern printed fabrics where color is added to the surface. With Shweshwe, the cotton cloth is first entirely dyed, thoroughly penetrating the fiber. Then, the cloth is passed through copper design rollers, which emit a mild acid solution, removing color with pinpoint accuracy. One of the characteristics of Shweshwe is the intense use of picotage, tiny pin dots that create not only the designs, but also texture and depth. It is because of the difficulty and expense in creating these designs that they fell out of favor with American and European manufacturers, who chose instead to move to printing processes. Da Gama Textiles of South Africa is the only known manufacturer of fabrics still using the discharge process ... The reverse side of the fabric will be a solid color because it was dyed. Da Gama also prints its seal on the back to help you identify it. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  12. ^ "A stylish ode to Mama Afrika". The Star. 27 September 2011. Archived from the original on 30 December 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Bryant, Judy (June 2012). "Transplanted Culture Through Trade" (PDF). Cape Crafts & Design Institute: 21–22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Sparg, Linda (15 January 2012). "Fabric firm wins with a focus on local flair". Business Report. Archived from the original on 21 January 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2014. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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