Originating in Cote D'Ivoire, Baule textiles are created from narrow cotton bands woven on horizontal foot-treddle looms. Baule culture is heavily agricultural, and because of this, men traditionally complete most of the weaving, splitting time between their craft and work in the fields. This Baule textile was originally worn by a woman as a wraparound skirt, also referred to as a wrapper or pagne. The word pagne was a term introduced by merchants from the 16th Century and adopted by several African societies to identify often pre-existing textiles or garments distinct from a simple cloth.
