Le vrai wax

Guaranteed Real Dutch Super Damask

Super Damask uses a fine 100% cotton damask as a base cloth and the same technique as for Java Prints is used. However, the signature of this specific product is very different! Bold patterns & colour distinguish it from the intricate detailed Java print. Each region in West Africa has a different association with the patterns & design of Super Damask and these fabrics are often specially chosen for a particular occasion such as a wedding or celebration.




The core element in Wax Print is of course the wax. Using two deep engraved copper rollers, with the mirror image of the design, the two sides of the cotton fabric are printed with a pattern of melted wax, hence the name Wax Print. The fact that the cloth is printed on both sides enables you to wear the product either side. This is the true sign of a quality wax print. Following this, the cloth is immersed in a bath of dye, often Indigo, that penetrates into the areas that are not covered with wax. After the wax as been washed off in varying stages, a negative image of the printed pattern remains on the cloth. This intricate wax printing process results in unique effects that makes the product so outstanding. In fact, not one single centimetre of fabric is identical to the other! Vlisco: the true original.


Guaranteed Real Dutch Wax Cover

The Wax Cover Print is a Wax Print which is enriched with one or more coloured patterns. These ‘cover’ patterns can be of very varying designs such as circles, stripes, birds, leaves, in fact any graphic form. These designs form the unique Vlisco design signature, which admired and copied by many around the globe. The Wax Print and Wax Cover products can be found all over Western- and Central Africa. More specifically though, the Sahel- and Eastern Sahara regions.


Guaranteed Real Dutch Wax Block Print

The Wax Block Print is a special print with one or two colours fitted into the Wax Print design, respecting its outlines and adding to the image of the basic print. The range of colours used is extremely wide and increases the unique appeal of Vlisco fabrics. Each colour combination is an expression of individual taste and personality. Vlisco has infact many unique colours that other produces cannot re-produce. Wax Block Prints are consumed in a large region of West & Central Africa, from Senegal, through the coastal areas of Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria towards the more Southern African areas like Congo-Brazzaville and Congo (Kinshasa).

Guaranteed Real Dutch Java Print

The process of creating the Java Print fabrics is quite different from that of the Wax Block Print. The most obvious difference is that no wax is used. This enables the design team to create very fine and detailed motifs. Our choice of a wide range of colour dyes allows us to create unique and powerful colour ways with beautiful special effects.
The earliest examples of the Java Print were sold in Indonesia on the island of Java and were inspired by local Javanese motifs and batik. Today the Vlisco Java Prints are mostly consumed in the areas around Guinea (Conakry) and Congo (Kinshasa).