Out of the woods: Ancient fabric in fine fig

By Emma Chiu and Robin Key 13 : 01 : 2011 Heimtextil : Bark Cloth : Unesco

Frankfurt – German-African company Bark Cloth is displaying a range of ancient textiles at the Heimtextil exhibition, each made from the bark of a fig tree. ‘This means that every bark cloth is unique, and tells its own story,’ Oliver Heintz, founder and managing director of Bark Cloth, tells LS:N Global.

The cloth is made in East Africa and hand-crafted using traditional techniques. It was originally used for ceremonial purposes by the king of Buganda (now part of Uganda), but Bark Cloth has revisited the material. Its production process has since been included in UNESCO’s list of Immaterial World Cultural Heritage.

Bark Cloth’s display at Heimtextil can be seen on stands A01 and A02 in the foyer between halls 5.1 and 6.1. A video is included showing the process of how bark is stripped from a tree and transformed into a usable material.

During the show, seamstresses are providing live demonstrations on how to work on the material. Products featuring bark cloth, ranging from stools and lampshades to shoes and wall coverings, are also on display. The exhibition gives visitors an in-depth understanding of the bespoke textile, from its origin to the final product.

LS:N Global will investigate further the resurgence in the use of traditional crafts by contemporary designers in our forthcoming Revivalism macro trend.

LS:N Global’s Emma Chiu is attending the Heimtextil exhibition in Frankfurt and will be reporting on the show throughout the week.