Damask Mali

A fabric once known as grandma’s good bed linen is becoming a luxury item in West Africa: How damask from Saxony is conquering the market in Mali.

We met Hassan Bathily, the largest importer of damask in West Africa, in the bustling market of Bamako and saw how artisans hand dye fabric and batteurs beat the fabric with wooden mallets until it shines. On Sundays the dusty streets of Bamako begin to shimmer as wedding parties gather in all corners of the city dressed in the finest damask.

We loved working in Mali on this fantastic textile story for Geo Magazine.