---
type: "fabric"
name: "Kente"
slug: "kente"
fabric_family: "specialty"
construction: "jacquard"
typical_fibers:
  - "Cotton"
weight_gsm: "150–300 g/m²"
price_tier: 4
url: "https://www.fabricatlas.com/fabrics/kente"
updated: "2025-09-08T02:15:26.398448+00:00"
---

# Kente

Kente is a vibrant, intricately woven jacquard fabric traditionally made from cotton, known for its colorful patterns and cultural significance in West African textiles.

- **Fabric Family**: Specialty
- **Construction**: Jacquard
- **Typical Fibers**: Cotton
- **Weight**: 150–300 g/m²
- **Thickness**: 0.5–1.5 mm
- **Typical Width**: 114 cm
- **Price Tier**: $$$$ (4 of 5)

## About Kente

Kente fabric is a specialty textile characterized by its rich colors and complex geometric patterns, typically woven using jacquard techniques. This fabric is predominantly made from cotton, which offers breathability and comfort. Kente is often used in ceremonial garments, traditional attire, and decorative applications, reflecting the cultural heritage of the Akan people of Ghana. The weaving process allows for a high level of detail in the designs, making each piece unique.

## Woven Properties

- **Ends per Inch (EPI)**: 40
- **Picks per Inch (PPI)**: 30

## Stretch Properties

- **Warp Stretch**: 0%
- **Weft Stretch**: 0%

## Performance Properties

- **Air Permeability**: 5 CFM
- **Hydrostatic Head**: 30 mm
- **Spray Rating**: 0
- **Evaporative Resistance (Ret)**: 0.5
- **Thermal Resistance (Rct)**: 0.1
- **UPF Rating**: 15

## Appearance & Hand

- **Luster**: Bright
- **Opacity**: Opaque
- **Surface Texture**: smooth
- **Hand & Drape**: Balanced

## Performance Features

- Moisture Wicking
- Wrinkle Resistance

## Common Finishes

- Mercerized
- Calendared

## Common Applications

- Traditional Garments
- Ceremonial Attire
- Home Decor
- Accessories

## Common Uses in Detail

### Traditional & Ceremonial Garments

Draped over the shoulder or sewn into robes, Kente's bold, symbolic patterns make it the fabric of choice for weddings, graduations, and cultural festivals across West Africa, conveying status, heritage, and pride through every intricately woven motif.

### Accessories & Wraps

Its firm jacquard structure and vivid geometric designs translate beautifully into scarves, headwraps, and handbags. The durable [Cotton](https://www.fabricatlas.com/fibers/cotton) weave holds its shape well, while the striking colorwork ensures these accessories serve as powerful cultural and fashion statements.

### Home Décor & Textiles

Used as decorative throw pillows, wall hangings, and table runners, its rich patterning adds warmth and cultural artistry to interior spaces. The sturdy [Cotton](https://www.fabricatlas.com/fibers/cotton) construction ensures longevity, making it both an aesthetic and practical choice for home furnishings.

## Care Instructions

Machine wash cold with similar colors, tumble dry low, iron on low heat.

- Machine Wash
- Do Not Bleach
- Iron Low

## Additional Information

Kente fabric is often associated with storytelling, as the patterns and colors symbolize various proverbs and values in the Akan culture.

- **Regional Names**: Kente cloth, Kente weave
- **Sourcing Regions**: Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo
- **Testing Standards**: Martindale/Rub count, Colorfastness to wash, Pilling

## Fibers in This Fabric

- [Cotton](https://www.fabricatlas.com/fibers/cotton.md)

## Similar Fabrics

- [Sheer Drapery](https://www.fabricatlas.com/fabrics/sheer-drapery.md) — Upholstery Decor
- [Activewear Interlock](https://www.fabricatlas.com/fabrics/activewear-interlock.md) — Specialty
- [Activewear Jersey](https://www.fabricatlas.com/fabrics/activewear-jersey.md) — Specialty
- [Activewear Tricot](https://www.fabricatlas.com/fabrics/activewear-tricot.md) — Specialty
- [Adire](https://www.fabricatlas.com/fabrics/adire.md) — Specialty

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*Source: [Fabric Atlas](https://www.fabricatlas.com/fabrics/kente) — HTML version of this page.*