Dutch Wax Vs African Prints

From 1835, colonial powers particularly the Dutch and the English empires. Played substantial roles in industrializing imitations of batik textile. Locally produced in Java, Indonesia. Techniques textile manufacturers in Holland started attempts to mechanize the production of batik using copper rollers and a resin resist.

Dutch wax prints or African wax prints which we call "Ankara". It was rejected by Javanese due to numerous errors. Javanese people proved unwilling to buy this clothes, it made its way to West Africa.

In the 19th century, Dutch wax prints began to feature portraits of local community leaders and chiefs in the designs so people could buy in to celebrate their leaders. Given catchy names, they had proverbs and slogans.
Attached to them by West Africans traders in their respective communities.
Despite, these appellations had nothing in common with the designs on the fabrics.

Due to this integration of Dutch wax prints, they are said to be “authentically African” even though they were produced and designed in Europe, presumably by Europeans with little or no African input in terms of designs and motifs at the production stages.
To this day imitation batik textiles are produced at Vlisco in Holland, the Netherlands