48" x 6 yds.
100% Cotton
THE NETHERLANDS

Imagine what you envision a factory to be...hold that thought. Never in my wildest dreams could I have prepared for what was shown to us at Vlisco. But then again, never in my wildest dreams had I imagined “Dutch Wax” - the name of this fabric - to be an honest Dutch product, but it is. Dutch made, with 95% shipped overseas, the majority to West and Central Africa where it is bought as a lifelong investment and held in the same regard that the West once valued gold. Sold primarily in 12- and 6-yard segments and worn wrapped around the body as a dress, the number of turns around the figure is an indication of status and wealth. Any segments which do not complete a full rotation are cut off and made into a hat or a matching accessory. Vlisco imitations abound and Vlisco goes to great pains to label its yardage with seals and holographic marks. In addition, patterns rotate four times a year with more than 150 being produced annually. Vlisco is the first contemporary fabric I have encountered that is a currency in its own right and protected as such. Founded in 1846, the product was, in reality, a forgery itself and a by-product of Dutch trade between the Dutch East Indies and the Netherlands. Indonesian batiks were popular with the Dutch at the time, however, the material was costly. The founders of Vlisco created a large- scale industrial production method based on handmade Indonesian batik techniques. The African market and the African-inspired patterns were a result of West Africa being a stopping point between the Dutch East Indies and the Netherlands. The technique, created during the Industrial Revolution, continues today with stringent controls and incredible patterns. We had a hard time getting our hands on the real deal.