Ghana Secures Historic Protection for Kente Cloth as First Geographical Indication
Ghana has officially protected Kente cloth, allowing only authentic handwoven Kente from designated communities to carry the name.
Photo Credit: Joselyn Dumas/Instagram
Ghana's government has granted Kente cloth Geographical Indication (GI) status, meaning only cloth woven in designated Ghanaian communities can legally be called Kente.
- Factory-printed fakes are no longer allowed to carry the name.
- Mass-produced imitations in fast-fashion stores cannot be called Kente.
- Only handwoven fabric from communities like Bonwire, Adanwomase, Kpetoe, and Agbozume is considered genuine Kente.
Ghana’s first GI product, joining the same ranks as French Champagne and Italian Parmesan, protected by international law because they represent something irreplaceable, rooted in a specific place and specific people.
Author's summary: Ghana protects Kente cloth with GI status.