Mainly produced by the Asante/Ashanti tribe of Ghana (and also by the Ewe tribe), it is woven in pieces on narrow-strip looms and then embroidered together to form a 6ft x 12ft cloth. An exuberant, strikingly colourful cloth more commonly made of cotton, and sometimes of silk.
Kente can sport multiple types of meaningful geometric designs and colour combinations such as gold, green, black and red; black and white; indigo blues and white; gold is the traditional preserve of Ashanti royalty; it can also incorporate emblems such as the Adinkra symbols. Now more widely adopted across West Africa, the cloth is worn and appreciated aesthetically but also as part of cultural, political or ethnic identification.
In home furnishings they can be used to great effect as wall hangings, curtains, bedcovers, or draped over chairs and sofas. Their bright colours need either to be showcased by a background of neutrals, making a contemporary, open statement where the hand made fabric is the star; or they can inspire a characterful colour scheme, figuring as part of an eclectic whole.