Bògòlanfini

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A Mud Cloth Shirt

Bogolan Mud Cloth

Bògòlanfini (sometimes bogolan) is a traditional Malian fabric dyed with fermented mud, particularly associated with the Bambara. The name is a Bambara word meaning "earthcloth."

In the creation of bògòlanfini, simple cotton cloth is woven, shrunk, and then soaked in a preparation of leaves from certain trees. An artist then outlines an intricate design with a mud dye, often taking several weeks to cover the entire cloth. Yellowish areas of mud are then treated with a caustic soda, bleaching them back to white for a stark black and white design. Traditionally, a man will do the weaving while a woman will do the dyeing.

In recent years, fashion designers such as Chris Seydou have employed bògòlanfini in international clothing lines, while Malian painter Ishmael Diabate has developed it as a fine art form.

Converse shoes will use Bògòlanfini to make sports shoes under the charitable Product Red brand.

Bogolan Artist:Boubacar Doumbia is a founding member of the groups of artists Kasobané and Segu-labèn.Mr. Doumbia has exhibited his art with the Kasobané group on four continents (Africa, Europe, America and Asia). In his current work he stresses the promotion and the innovation of the natural bogolan, basilan and indigo dyes.