FABRIC: BARK CLOTH

Fabric Name:
Tapa, barkcloth

Origin:
Unknown, but species harvested for their bark include mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), melinjo (Gentum genmon), and breadfruit trees (Artocarpus altilis)

Who made our fabric:
Unknown. Sourced from BARK CLOTH/BARKTEX, Freiburg, Germany

Natural history and ecology:
Specific natural history unknown, but made in Papua New Guinea

More on this cloth:

Many times, textile traditions that make their way to the international market will go through numerous hands before it reaches its final home. Starting with the maker, then to a supplier or two, and throughout a complex series that eventually links a maker to a market. Many times, what is lost along the way are the information and stories that can teach us about the origin, how it was used, the process to make it, what it is made from, and of course who made the cloth. This is the case with this beautiful piece sourced from BARKTEX in 2010. The cloth was acquired but the seller was not forthcoming with BARKTEX about the source or background.

Sometimes, the stories are buried along the supply chain.