Barkcloth

Barkcloth jacket from Kalimantan, Indonesia
Fijian masi
Hawaiian kapa from the 18th century.

Barkcloth or bark cloth is a versatile material that was once common in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. Barkcloth comes primarily from trees of the family Moraceae, including Broussonetia papyrifera, Artocarpus altilis, Artocarpus tamaran, and Ficus natalensis. It is made by beating sodden strips of the fibrous inner bark of these trees into sheets, which are then finished into a variety of items. Many texts that mention "paper" clothing are actually referring to barkcloth.

Some modern cotton-based fabrics are also named "barkcloth" for their resemblance to these traditional fabrics.


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