African clothes are back in vogue; they are desired like never before and many fashion designers are taking advantage of this resurgent market. Unlike other types of clothes where you can enter a store check the label and size and rush to the cash register and pay, with African clothes you need a little more time, patience and some background research so as to buy something that you won’t regret afterwards. Taking care of African clothes also is not something you can not rush.“Some people go to the shops, choose clothes in a hurry without taking enough time to do selection and to compare from others and they finally end up being disappointed. Or after buying the best African attires, they machine wash them only to be disappointed by the results,” says Ruth Tangera a local fashion designer.As a result, some people hesitant when it comes to purchasing expensive African wear. “I love African Clothes and Fabrics but caring for them, especially those with embroidery can be tricky. I’ve seen my friends buying expensive African attires and after using them once, they fade or get crumpled for good” laments Nandy Mahoro, who used to be a fan of traditional African dress. Tangera suggests that when you think about African clothes, think ‘Hand wash and little or no ironing.’ “Many African fabrics can do without ironing, just flattening. If you must iron, iron on wrong side with a plain cloth in between. It is also advisable to wash the fabric by itself at least the first time” says Mahoro. Another step to proper African fabric care is to get rid of the bleach. Bleaching clothing can wear down the fibers of the African fabric and cause them to fade and fall apart quicker. There are some brands of bleach that claim to be safe for use on coloured fabrics, but many of these products are only slightly milder than regular bleach. Instead of bleach, try using baking soda or some other alternative that is not as harsh as bleach.Emmanuel Muvunyi a professional tailor suggests that mending and repairing any rips, and holes right away is another African fabric care tip that often does the most to extend the life of clothing. “Rips that are left untreated can quickly grow in size, ruining the clothing faster. By taking the time to mend the holes and rips as soon as you notice them you will be able to prolong the life of your favourite ethnic clothing,” says Muvunyi.The last thing to remember when caring for African fabric is to only launder the clothing when it is absolutely necessary. Washing machines and dryers can be extremely rough on the clothing. If you can try hand washing the clothing or only spot treating the areas that need to be cleaned, and let the clothing air dry, this will increase their life span.
