Some of the earliest evidence of bark cloth come from Uganda, where skilled workers still create the textile through processes they developed centuries ago. First making a slit at the base of the Mutuba tree, workers cut through the top layer of bark. From there, they separate the inner bark from the tree in one large piece, and wrap the tree trunk in Mutuba leaves to protect it as it heals.
Then, they scrap and boil the inner bark to make it flexible. After beating it down to a single layer, they wring it out and stretch it taut. After several days of drying in the sun, the fabric — now strong and soft — is ready.
Although most tree species would die from this process, Mutuba trees can live through annual harvests for 40 years, with a single tree producing 8,000 square yards of cloth in its lifetime — enough to cover two football fields!
Historians have found evidence of bark cloth dating back 700 years, when only royalty were allowed to wear it. But its uses have diversified — it’s been used as currency, in religious ceremonies and as a symbol of protest against colonialism
In 2005, UNESCO named Ugandan bark cloth a “masterpiece of intangible cultural heritage.” And today, you can find bark cloth on the fashion runway! Ugandan born designer Jose’ Hendo creates bark cloth for her London-based collections, fostering culture of environmentally friendly and sustainable fashion.
The clothing we wear is a necessity, a fashion statement and, sometimes, a symbol about what we value. I can't imagine wearing anything better than an elegant garment made entirely of trees.
