What does Shweshwe mean?

Shweshwe is the name of the indigo cloth worn by most of Southern Africa. This indigo fabric, which was dyed by the indigofera plant, originated from India and Holland.

Four companies produce different Colours of the shweshwe fabric:

Indigo – Da Gama Textiles

Blue – Three Leopards (Tree cats)

Chocolate brown and red – Tootal(Toto)

Fancy Prints

Shweshwe cloth was first worn by the King Moshoeshoe of Lesotho, a gift from French missionaries in the 1840s.

It was then called “shoeshoe”, later became shweshwe.

Zulus call it “isishweshwe” while Xhosa’s call it “Ujamani”.