Kente From Gold Coast Africa

About Kente

Kente is the name given to a distinctively patterned, handwoven strip of cloth made by the Akan people of West Africa. The country of Ghana — once known as Gold Coast — is the primary producer of kente cloth today, and from various regions of the country come different styles of cloth, namely, Ashanti kente from the central Kumasi area, and Ewe kente from the eastern Volta region.

Each strip of kente is woven entirely by hand on individual strip looms in a tradition that dates back hundreds of years. Everything you see on a kente - the stripes, letters, symbols, and patterns - is woven into the strip by hand as it is made. Individual strips can be sewn together along their edge to form larger pieces of cloth, known as Woman's or Men's Cloths, which are still worn today in Ghana as a garment wrapped around the body.

Sizing

Our standard "Academic Length" stoles are 72 inches long and are appropriate for middle school age through college, and for adults over top of regular attire. These will hang down to about your hand with your arm relaxed at your side. Clergy Length stoles are 101-inches and will hang to about mid-thigh on most people. Kente for Kids stoles are 52 inch long and fit preschoolers up to about 3rd grade. For children between 4th and 7th grade we can weave 64-inch stoles at the same price as 72-inch stoles. 72-inch and 101-inch stoles are about 4½ inches wide. Kente for Kids stoles are proportionately narrower.

Volume Discounts

Because of the large number of stoles we weave and import from Ghana every year, we are able to pass these discounts on to you.