Elaine Bellezza
Design, Build Capacity, & Link
Site designed by Elaine Bellezza
MAP
PROJECTS
Mia Mali
Consulting
Cameroon
ACTIVITIES
Design
Full Cycle
Mudcloth
Metal
Build
Training
Virtual Trg
Link to Mkts
Local
Intern'l
Web
CASE STUDIES
Fatim
Ladji
The Importance of
Traditional mudcloth is popular and beautiful. New designs helped retain value-added production in the country generating employment.
The Case of Mudcloth
Mudcloth, or Bogolan as it is called in Mali, is one of the most important Malian artisanal exports. Often it is purchased to be transformed into products elsewhere.
By creating fresh and contemporary products using both traditional patterns and new mudcloth designs, we were able to significantly increase mudcloth sales.
The new products increased income not only for mudcloth producers, but also for the spinners of the cotton thread, weavers, tailors, leather workers, furniture makers and upholsterers, and other related artisans.
Because the new designs incorporated industrial cotton dyed by local women, these dyers' sales also increased.
Another key was that by using mudcloth in smaller quantities in bags, pillows, and tabletop, we could retain the Malian aesthetic while keeping costs competitive.
At Mia Mali we sold over 1000 pieces a month of pieces using mudcloth, and as the trend caught on throughout the community, it is sure that other producer sales of similar items also increased, generating significant increases to the whole range of related artisans .
Home & wearable accessories using smaller quantities of mudcloth and highly marketable designs yielded higher profit margins.
Sectoral Impact:
Textile Sector
Spinners
Weavers
Dyers
Tailors
Furniture Sector
Woodworkers
Upholsterers
Leather Sector
Tanners
Leatherworkers
Tourism Sector
Vendors
Gift Shops
Export & Trade
Regional Sales
International Sales
Trade shows
Regional & Inter-
national retail
shows
scroll over
These jackets continue to be strong sellers after 7 years on the market. Creative mudcloth designs, lined with hand dyed cotton, & being fully reversible increase their marketability.
Furniture with up-scale mudcloth designs increased demand. Accessory items, such as large frames and stools were exported.