This a short guide to help you identify, buy and maintain handmade African batiks.

Authentic Shona sadza (pronouned sudza) batik is distinctive because of its bright colors and flamboyant shapes. An authentic batik is handmade and shows this, the images must not be rigid as if mechanized. One must also be able to feel the relief of the applied dyes over the batik, the cloth will be slightly heavier than expected because of the weight of the applicant. It is important to note that there are many types of African batik, an authentic handmade item distinguishes itself.

This is a very female dominated craft in Africa, these batiks are sold by the women who make them or through co-ops. It is the most significant income alot of families recieve.

The process of Shona sadza (pronounced sudza) batik is very time and effort consuming, it typically takes several days to complete a batik this size. Sadza is the staple food in Zimbabwe, it is the consistency of mashed potato. This is used as the masking between different colors of dyes, each color must be applied and dried individually. After the last color has dried the batik is repeatedly washed until color bleeding is at a minimum, then wrapped in foil and baked.

Batiks are relatively easy to maintain, they must be kept out of constant sunlight and away from liquids. They may be gently washed in cold, soapy water. They will stretch slightly and will keep their shape as long as they are hung up. Thank you for your time. XclusivArt4U