The TETSO Fabric Guide — Know What You’re Wearing
Every TETSO garment starts with fabric. Not just any fabric — textiles sourced from across Africa, each carrying centuries of tradition, meaning, and craftsmanship. Whether you’re shopping for your first Ankara dress or transitioning your entire wardrobe to sustainable African fashion, understanding your fabric changes everything. This guide breaks down every textile you’ll find in our marketplace.At a Glance:
If you’re in a hurry, here’s the quick comparison. Scroll down for the full story on each fabric.Ankara Wax Print
Feel: Crisp, structuredDrape: MediumBest for: Everyday wear, fitted garments, statement piecesCare: Cold hand washBreathability: Excellent
Kente
Feel: Firm, wovenDrape: Low, structuredBest for: Formal occasions, ceremonial wear, statement accessoriesCare: Dry clean recommendedBreathability: Moderate
Tie-Dye (Adire)
Feel: Soft, organicDrape: Medium to highBest for: Casual wear, boho styles, layeringCare: Cold hand wash, wash alone firstBreathability: Very good
RAW COTTON
Feel: Soft, naturalDrape: MediumBest for: Everyday essentials, loungewear, children’s clothingCare: Cold wash, easyBreathability: Excellent
LACE
Feel: Delicate, texturedDrape: MediumBest for: Occasion wear, bridal, overlaysCare: Hand wash onlyBreathability: Good
Batik
Feel: Smooth, hand-finishedDrape: Medium to highBest for: Dresses, wraps, home décorCare: Cold hand washBreathability: Very good
Ankara Wax Print
The fabric most people picture when they think of African fashion. Ankara is a 100% cotton fabric printed with vibrant, bold patterns using a wax-resist dyeing technique. The wax is applied to the cloth before dyeing, creating those distinctive sharp-edged designs that African fashion is known for worldwide.
Feel: Crisp and structured with a slight stiffness that softens with wear and washing. Holds its shape beautifully.
Drape: Medium — ideal for fitted silhouettes, A-line cuts, and structured designs. Not as fluid as tie-dye or rayon.
Why we love it: The patterns tell stories. Traditional Ankara motifs carry cultural meanings — from proverbs to social commentary. When you wear Ankara, you’re wearing a conversation.
Best for: Fitted dresses and gowns (like our Ankara Strapless Maxi Dress), corporate two-pieces, jumpsuits, men’s shirts, bags, and accessories like hand fans.
Health note: Ankara is 100% cotton, making it naturally breathable, hypoallergenic, and gentle on sensitive skin. It absorbs moisture rather than trapping it, which is why it’s been the textile of choice in tropical Africa for generations.
Care: Cold hand wash or gentle machine cycle at 30°C max. Colors are set during the wax-resist process, so fading is minimal with proper care. See our Fabric Care guide for detailed instructions.
Kente
Originating from the Ashanti and Ewe people of Ghana, kente is one of the most recognizable African textiles in the world. It’s a handwoven cloth made on traditional looms, with each color and pattern carrying specific cultural significance.
Feel: Firm, woven texture with a distinctive weight. This is not a casual, throwaway fabric — it demands presence.
Drape: Low to medium — kente holds its structure, making it ideal for garments that need to maintain a defined shape.
Why we love it: Kente is royalty in textile form. Historically reserved for Ashanti kings and special occasions, it represents wealth, cultural pride, and celebration. Each color means something: gold (royalty, wealth), green (growth, renewal), blue (peace, love), red (passion, struggle).
Best for: Formal and ceremonial wear, statement jumpsuits (like our Kente-Inspired Jumpsuit), wraps, stoles, and accent pieces. Also beautiful as home décor — table runners, cushion covers, and wall hangings.
Health note: Traditional kente is woven from cotton or silk threads, both natural fibers that breathe well. Authentic handwoven kente contains no synthetic chemicals.
Care: Dry clean is recommended for authentic handwoven kente. Machine-printed kente-inspired cotton fabrics can be cold hand washed. Store folded, never on hangers — the weight can stretch the weave.
Tie-Dye (Adire)
African tie-dye predates the 1960s Western version by centuries. Known as Adire in Yoruba culture, this technique involves tying, folding, or stitching fabric before submerging it in natural or fiber-reactive dyes. The result is organic, unrepeatable patterns where no two pieces are ever identical.
Feel: Soft and organic. The hand-dyeing process gives the cotton a gentle, lived-in quality right from the start.
Drape: Medium to high depending on the base fabric. Cotton tie-dye has a relaxed drape; rayon-based tie-dye flows like liquid.
Why we love it: Every single piece is one of a kind. The artisan’s hand, the way the fabric was tied, even the temperature of the dye bath — all of these create patterns that can never be exactly replicated. You are literally wearing an original artwork.
Best for: Maxi dresses, boho-style garments, casual everyday pieces, children’s clothing, and lightweight wraps. Our Vibrant Cotton Tie-Dye Dress is a perfect example.
Health note: Many of our tie-dye artisans use natural plant-based dyes (indigo from the indigofera plant, brown from kola nuts, yellow from turmeric). Even fiber-reactive dyes used in modern African tie-dye bond molecularly to the fabric, meaning no loose chemicals sitting on the surface against your skin.
Care: Cold hand wash. Wash alone for the first 2-3 washes as excess dye may release — this is completely normal and does not mean the fabric is losing color. See our Fabric Care guide for the full breakdown.
Raw Cotton
The foundation fabric of Africa. Cotton has been grown and woven across the continent for thousands of years. TETSO’s raw cotton pieces use unbleached or minimally processed cotton that retains its natural softness and breathability.
Feel: Soft, natural, with a comforting weight. Gets softer with every wash.
Drape: Medium — substantial enough for structure but not stiff.
Why we love it: It’s honest fabric. No chemical treatments, no synthetic blends — just pure cotton the way nature made it. This is the fabric people choose when they’re transitioning away from fast fashion and toward something their skin and the planet can both feel good about.
Best for: Everyday wear, loungewear, children’s clothing, undergarments, home textiles, and anyone with sensitive skin or chemical sensitivities.
Health note: This is our top recommendation for customers transitioning to organic fashion for health reasons. Raw, unbleached cotton is free from formaldehyde finishes, optical brighteners, and synthetic dyes that are standard in mass-produced clothing. If you have eczema, chemical sensitivity, or simply want to reduce your toxic load, start here.
Care: Cold wash, easy care. Cotton is forgiving and durable. It can handle machine washing on a gentle cycle. Air dry for best results.
Lace
African lace (also called Aso Oke lace or Swiss/Austrian lace, depending on origin) is a staple of West African occasion wear. It’s the fabric of weddings, naming ceremonies, and celebrations.
Feel: Delicate, textured, with intricate patterning woven into the fabric itself.
Drape: Medium — structured enough for fitted bodices, fluid enough for skirts and overlays.
Why we love it: Lace turns any garment into an event. It’s the fabric that makes people ask “where did you get that?” The craftsmanship in quality African lace is extraordinary — each piece is essentially wearable art.
Best for: Formal occasion wear, bridal outfits, iro and buba sets, overlays, and accent details on other garments.
Care: Hand wash only in cold water with mild detergent. Never wring — press water out gently. Lay flat to dry. Iron on reverse side with a pressing cloth.
Batik
Batik is a wax-resist dyeing technique (similar to Ankara but done by hand rather than machine-printed). Artisans hand-apply melted wax to fabric using stamps, stencils, or freehand tools, then dye the cloth. Where the wax sits, the dye doesn’t penetrate — creating unique, hand-finished patterns.
Feel: Smooth with a hand-finished quality. The wax process gives the fabric subtle variations in texture.
Drape: Medium to high — works beautifully for flowing garments.
Why we love it: Batik is where the artisan’s hand is most visible. Unlike machine-printed Ankara, every batik piece shows the human touch — slight variations in wax application, subtle color blending where dye meets wax edge. It’s authenticity you can see and feel.
Best for: Dresses, wraps, maxi skirts, scarves, and home décor like cushion covers and table linens.
Care: Cold hand wash. The hand-applied wax is removed during production, but the fabric retains a beautiful hand-finished quality. Wash gently to preserve the depth of the dye work.
