Ankara which can also be referred to as Kitenge was made by a Dutch entrepreneur named Pieter Fentener Van Vlissingen. He mechanized the method used to make prints on batik. Ankara was a popular cloth worn in Indonesia, which was produced in Indonesia before it was marketed around the globe.
It was created as batik knockoffs for Indonesians by the Dutch, but west Africa adopted the print that is widely known as being African fabric. The crackling effects on the African prints are evident in the wax resisting dyeing technique. His company Vilsco introduced the printed textile to Ghana, and later on the fabric subsequently gained an African identity. Ankara was first introduced to the market as a cheap mass-produced imitation of Indonesian batik materials before becoming synonymous with Africa, especially West Africa.
They were easily claimed because of the vibrant prints, and largely because African fashion has always been Avant-Garde, therefore they fitted perfectly right in. Primarily, Ankara print materials are made through an Indonesian wax-resist dyeing process known as batik. This however entails a technique that makes the fabric resist the dye from getting through the entire material. This method makes the construction of these materials easy to craft and design in so many ways.
Ankara is known to have so many names, “Kitenga” in Kenya, “Dutch wax” in Ghana, “Kanga Prints” in Tanzania, and Eastern African countries have names such as, Ikat, Batik, mud cloth, etc. Ankara has gained a wide range of acceptance because of its durability, richness in color, and uniqueness. There are different types of Ankara you can get to buy from the market: 1. Kente, 2. Gold print, 3. Wax print, 4. Asoke, etc.
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