What countries in Africa are known for specific crafts or materials?

When people begin sourcing handmade products from Africa, the question often sounds straightforward: Which country should I look to for this product? In reality, this is where many sourcing journeys quietly start to unravel.

We’ve seen that challenges around pricing, lead times, consistency, and even ethics often trace back to a single misunderstanding. Africa is frequently treated as one sourcing destination, when in practice craft production here is deeply local. Techniques are shaped by climate, raw materials, cultural systems, and generational knowledge. Basketry emerges where grasses grow. Textile traditions follow trade routes and ceremonial life. Decorative forms evolve from cultural practice, not trend forecasting.

When we understand where specific crafts actually come from, sourcing becomes clearer and calmer. Planning improves. Communication sharpens. Relationships last longer. This guide is not an exhaustive list of everything each country can produce. It’s a practical map, grounded in what we’ve consistently worked with and seen translate well into global wholesale contexts.

Ghana: basketry, glass beads, and woven textiles

Ghana is one of the clearest examples of how craft specialisation develops over time. Its strength lies in a small number of deeply rooted traditions that continue to evolve without losing their identity.

Bolgatanga basketry, commonly referred to as Bolga baskets, is woven from elephant grass in northern Ghana. We’ve seen these baskets perform exceptionally well in wholesale when buyers allow for variation and work with colour stories rather than rigid specifications. They are structurally strong, expressive, and adaptable across décor, storage, and gifting categories. For a deeper look, our articles on Bolga baskets and Bolga fans explore how this craft translates into contemporary interiors and gifting: Bolga baskets wholesale Ghana handmade African crafts Bolga fans handcrafted African décor gifts

Ghana is also known for its glass bead-making traditions, particularly recycled glass beads. These beads combine sustainability with heritage, producing pieces rich in colour and texture. We’ve seen them succeed best when positioned as story-led jewellery rather than uniform fashion accessories. This is explored further in our piece on African glass bead jewellery and its cultural legacy.

Kente cloth remains central to Ghana’s textile identity. While ceremonial in origin, we’ve seen it thoughtfully adapted into cushions, wall art, and limited-edition décor when its cultural weight is respected rather than diluted.

Nigeria: adire and aso-oke textiles

Nigeria’s craft strength is most visible in its textile traditions, particularly those rooted in resist-dye and loom weaving.

Adire is an indigo-dyed textile created using resist techniques such as tying, stitching, or waxing. The resulting patterns are expressive and inherently variable. We’ve seen adire work best when buyers embrace this variation and treat each piece as part of a family rather than expecting identical repeats. Our guide to wholesale adire textiles looks at how this fabric fits into ethical African sourcing.

Aso-oke is a handwoven cloth with ceremonial roots, traditionally worn at significant life events. It is structured, labour-intensive, and not designed for speed. In our experience, it works best as a statement textile, trim, or small-batch application rather than a high-volume material.

Kenya: sisal basketry, leather, and brass jewellery

Kenya is one of the most versatile craft landscapes we work with, particularly for material-driven categories.

Sisal basketry is a cornerstone. Produced largely by rural women’s groups, these baskets adapt well across colour palettes and sizes when fibre availability and dye cycles are planned around seasons. We’ve seen Kenyan basketry translate consistently into décor and lifestyle categories where timelines allow for drying and finishing.

Kenya also has a strong leather craft sector, particularly for small leather goods. When tanning methods, finishes, and grading are aligned early, leather accessories and décor pieces perform well in wholesale contexts.

Brass and mixed-metal jewellery is another area of strength. These pieces tend to work best in artisanal or semi-fine categories, where hand-finishing is part of the value rather than something to be engineered out.

Uganda: basketry, bark cloth, and emerging ceramics

Uganda’s craft traditions are closely tied to raw materials and process.

Basketry is widespread, using a variety of local grasses and fibres. We’ve found Ugandan baskets translate well into functional décor when designs stay close to traditional forms and proportions.

Bark cloth is one of Uganda’s most distinctive materials. Made by beating fig tree bark rather than weaving fibres, it behaves very differently from fabric. We’ve seen it succeed most in wall art, lighting, and sculptural décor, where its texture and irregularity are allowed to lead rather than be controlled.

Uganda also has a growing ceramics scene, largely studio-based. These pieces are best approached as limited-run or design-led collaborations rather than repeat-heavy wholesale. Our work with Ankole jewellery also highlights how material identity shapes product outcomes in the region.

Rwanda: peace baskets and refined coiling

Rwanda is widely recognised for agaseke, often referred to as peace baskets. These lidded, coiled baskets are tightly woven and highly refined. We’ve consistently seen Rwandan basket groups excel in consistency and finishing, which makes them a good fit for buyers who need repeatable SKUs with minimal variation.

Our article on Rwandan peace baskets explores how this tradition translates into African décor for global wholesale markets.

Cameroon: juju hats, masks, and ceremonial craft

Cameroon’s craft traditions are strongly ceremonial and visually striking.

Juju hats, made from feathers and natural fibres, are often used as statement wall pieces. We’ve seen them work best when positioned as sculptural art rather than trend décor. Our feature on juju hats as African feather wall art unpacks how they fit into contemporary interiors.

Traditional masks are another important craft form. These require cultural sensitivity and clear boundaries around adaptation. Our guide to African masks as cultural wall art explores how to approach this category responsibly in wholesale contexts.

Mali: mud cloth and handwoven textiles

Mali is closely associated with bogolan, commonly known as mud cloth. This textile is handwoven, dyed with fermented mud and plant-based solutions, and sun-dried over time. It is not fast. We’ve seen quality drop quickly when timelines are compressed.

When respected, mud cloth brings depth, texture, and cultural weight to interiors and fashion applications. Our mud cloth textile guide explores how this material fits into ethical sourcing and wholesale planning.

Zimbabwe: binga baskets and sculptural weaving

Zimbabwe is globally recognised for Tonga baskets from the Binga region. These baskets are expressive, sculptural, and intentionally non-uniform. We’ve seen them succeed best when buyers embrace variation and present them as art-led décor rather than identical units.

Our feature on a wall of handmade Binga baskets shows how this craft works in modern interior contexts.

Mozambique: capulana textiles

Mozambique is known for capulana, a printed cotton textile widely used in clothing and home contexts. Capulana works well in accessories, soft furnishings, and interior accents when colour and pattern are curated thoughtfully rather than layered excessively.

Our guide to capulana African textiles wholesale fabric explores how this material translates into global markets.

South Africa: zulu basketry, beading, and design-led craft

South Africa’s craft ecosystem blends heritage techniques with contemporary studio practice.

Zulu basketry and beading remain culturally significant and visually distinctive. We’ve seen these crafts translate well into décor and accessories when cultural context is clearly honoured. Our article on Zulu baskets for African décor wholesale looks at how this tradition fits into modern interiors.

South Africa also has a strong ceramics and design-led craft sector, supported by urban studios and export infrastructure. The country often bridges heritage craft and contemporary design in ways that work well for buyers seeking refined handmade pieces.

Eswatini: papier-mâché ceramics and jewellery

Eswatini is often overlooked, but we’ve seen consistent strength in papier-mâché ceramics and small-batch jewellery. These pieces are lightweight, export-friendly, and particularly well suited to gifting and decorative categories when properly finished and packaged.

Understanding craft geography changes everything

Over time, we’ve stopped asking whether a country can make a product and started asking what it already does well. That shift has saved time, protected quality, and strengthened relationships across our sourcing work.

When materials, skills, and timelines are aligned, sourcing feels less like negotiation and more like collaboration. If you’re mapping your own sourcing journey and want a clearer sense of where different African crafts naturally live, this kind of regional understanding becomes one of the most valuable tools you can have.

At Meekono, this mapping work is ongoing. It evolves as communities adapt, climates shift, and new generations reinterpret traditional techniques. If you’re exploring African sourcing and want to go deeper into specific materials, regions, or categories, we’re always open to sharing what we’ve learned and exploring what’s possible together.