Mud Cloth and Kantha Holiday Stocking

This stocking brings together contemporary Malian mud cloth and vintage Indian Kantha textiles as a symbol of the marrying of cultures around the world and the connection between masculine and feminine. Mud cloth is a traditional West African textile. As the name suggests, this fabric is created by using fermented mud to produce pigment for dye. Mud cloth was traditionally worn by hunters, offering camouflage, ritual protection, and a sign of status. More recently, mud cloth has become a symbol of Malian cultural identity. On the other hand, kantha is a native household craft originating from women in rural India. Classic kantha textiles are characterized by a running stitch which is often used to produce motifs such as flowers, birds, animals and other folk scenes from everyday activities.