THIS IS US is DYE LAB Agbada Kaftan

The independence edition Agbada Kaftan is a one of a kind collectors item encapsulating the past, present and future of our material culture.

Each Agbada Kaftan is made from 7 timeless traditional prints dating from the 1600s to the 2000s. From the Zebra to the new Zebra; the seven states of Hausa to the House of parliament, the prints capture the rich stories of the past and the evolution in design- patched together to create a contemporary piece.

Hand tied by women and hand dyed by men of the Kofar Mata community, the textile is made using 100% local cotton- also known as Funtua cotton and is dyed in natural indigo, using a technique that has been passed down through generations since 1948.

Each piece takes an average of 18 hours to make and passes atleast 10 hands in the tyeing and dyeing phase.

The pieces are then arranged, assembled by the dye lab in-house tailors using their proprietary patchwork method that ensures that nothing is wasted; and finally finished off with their signature hand-woven colorful collars woven by women in Abeokuta.

All Kaftans are one of one patchwork pieces varying based on the placement and irregularities common with handmade textiles. The kaftans feature a statement collar and contrast detailing under the sleeves and the hem. 

This is a preorder listing and will ship in 14 working days.