Caring for African Textiles: 10 Skills in 90 Seconds

Protect the fabrics you love. Learn how to wash, dry, store, and preserve wax print, handwoven kente and aso-oke, indigo adire, and delicate beadwork so they stay vivid for generations.

After this series you can

Wash and dry each major African fabric without damaging color or weave
Store and fold textiles to prevent creasing, fading, and pests
Preserve indigo, beadwork, and handwoven pieces for the long term

01
Know Your Fabric: Identifying the Five Textile Types

After this episode you can visually and physically distinguish wax prints, kente, aso-oke, indigo adire, and beadwork before applying any care step.
✓
02
Washing Wax Prints Without Fading

After this episode you can hand-wash a wax print garment using the correct water temperature, detergent type, and technique to prevent color loss.
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03
Washing Kente and Aso-oke by Hand

After this episode you can hand-wash kente and aso-oke strips without distorting the weave structure or damaging lurex and silk threads.
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04
Washing Adire and Beadwork Safely

After this episode you can wash indigo adire and beaded pieces using material-specific methods that protect dye integrity and bead attachments.
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05
Review: Washing Methods for All Five Textiles Review

After this episode you can match each of the five textile types to its correct washing method, water temperature, and detergent from memory.
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06
Drying and Pressing Each Textile Correctly

After this episode you can dry and iron wax prints, kente, aso-oke, adire, and beadwork at the right temperature and position without causing shrinkage, scorching, or distortion.
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07
Folding and Packaging for Short-Term Storage

After this episode you can fold and wrap each textile type using the correct materials and fold lines to prevent permanent creasing and fiber stress.
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08
Long-Term Storage Conditions and Containers

After this episode you can set up a storage environment with the correct temperature, humidity, light level, and container type to prevent textile deterioration over years.
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09
Spotting and Treating Deterioration Early

After this episode you can identify six warning signs of textile deterioration and apply the correct first-response action for each sign.
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10
Review: Your Complete Textile Care Routine Review

After this episode you can design and follow a complete care routine — from washing through long-term storage — for all five African textile types covered in this series.
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