Barkcloth is a natural, non-woven fabric made from the inner bark of certain tropical trees. Rather than being spun and woven like cotton or linen, it’s created by stripping, soaking, and repeatedly beating bark until it transforms into a soft, pliable sheet. The technique is one of the oldest known to humans, predating the invention of weaving entirely. Barkcloth has deep roots in both African and Pacific Island cultures, and a cotton imitation by the same name became a popular home decor fabric in mid-20th century America.
How Barkcloth Is Made
The process starts with harvesting the inner bark from living trees. In Uganda, the primary species are Ficus natalensis (known locally as “Mutuba”) and Antiaris toxicaria (“Kilundu”). Across the Pacific, paper mulberry is the most common source. The bark is carefully stripped from the trunk, and in many traditions the tree is left alive to regenerate a new layer, making it a renewable harvest.
Once removed, the bark is steamed or soaked in water to soften its fibers. Craftspeople then pound it with a series of specially designed wooden mallets, progressively finer in texture. This beating process causes the bark fibers to felt together, much like wool does under pressure and moisture. The material becomes smoother, thinner, and more flexible with each round of pounding, and it grows significantly in size as the fibers spread. The finished cloth has a characteristic rich, terracotta color in its natural state, though it can be dyed or decorated with painted designs.
Barkcloth in Ugandan Culture
Barkcloth making is an ancient craft of the Baganda people in the Buganda kingdom of southern Uganda. UNESCO inscribed it on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008, recognizing it as a prehistoric technique of global significance. Traditionally, craftsmen of the Ngonge clan produced bark cloth under the direction of a hereditary chief craftsman called a kaboggoza, supplying both the royal family and the wider community. Workshops once existed in nearly every village across the kingdom.
When Arab caravan traders introduced cotton cloth in the nineteenth century, barkcloth production slowed and its everyday use faded. But it never disappeared. Barkcloth remains a marker of Baganda social and cultural identity, worn by kings and chiefs during coronations, used in religious ceremonies, and serving as funeral shrouds. In recent years, the Buganda kingdom has actively encouraged and promoted its production.
Pacific Island Traditions
Across Polynesia, Melanesia, and parts of Southeast Asia, barkcloth made from paper mulberry goes by many names. In Tonga, it’s called ngatu. In Fiji, masi. In Hawaii, kapa. Samoan communities call it siapo. Each culture developed its own decorative styles, beating techniques, and ceremonial uses, but the core process is remarkably similar everywhere.
In Tonga, ngatu functions as a constantly circulating gift, exchanged at weddings, funerals, and other significant occasions. Very large pieces are considered symbols of wealth. The production of barkcloth declined across many Pacific Islands during the 19th century as European missionaries, traders, and government officials introduced cotton fabrics. Some island communities maintained the tradition, and it continues to hold deep cultural importance today.
Authentic Barkcloth vs. Cotton “Barkcloth”
If you’ve encountered the term “barkcloth” in a fabric store or on vintage upholstery, you’re likely looking at something entirely different from the traditional material. Cotton barkcloth is a machine-woven fabric with a nubby, textured weave designed to mimic the slightly irregular surface of real bark cloth. It became hugely popular in American home decor during the 1940s and 1950s, used for curtains, slipcovers, and upholstered furniture, often featuring bold tropical or mid-century modern prints.
This cotton version is enjoying a revival alongside renewed interest in mid-century design. Modern manufacturers produce it as a medium-weight fabric suited for outerwear, bags, upholstery, and drapes. It’s a completely different product from traditional barkcloth: machine-made, woven from cotton fibers, and connected to the original only by its textured appearance.
Physical Properties of the Real Thing
Authentic barkcloth has a texture that sits somewhere between leather and felt. In its raw state, it’s relatively stiff, which is why garment makers sometimes fuse it with backing fabrics to improve its drape and flexibility. The finished material is lightweight and breathable, but not particularly durable compared to woven textiles. Because it’s an organic, non-woven material, it degrades over time with use, wear, and exposure to environmental factors like light and humidity.
The color ranges from warm tan to deep terracotta depending on the tree species and processing method. Many cultures add decoration after the beating process, painting geometric patterns, stamping designs with carved blocks, or rubbing pigment onto the surface.
Sustainability as a Textile
Barkcloth has drawn interest as a sustainable alternative to synthetic and even conventional cotton textiles. The trees used for production can regenerate their bark after harvesting, so a single tree can yield cloth repeatedly over its lifetime without being cut down. The production process requires no chemical inputs, no spinning machinery, and no industrial infrastructure. Water, wooden mallets, and skilled hands are the essential tools.
Researchers in Uganda have explored using barkcloth in modern applications like footwear and garment production, looking for ways to adapt its natural stiffness for commercial use while keeping the environmental advantages intact.
Caring for Barkcloth
If you own a piece of authentic barkcloth, whether a souvenir, an heirloom, or a museum-quality piece, proper storage makes a significant difference in its lifespan. High humidity encourages mold growth, which is especially problematic in tropical climates. Very dry conditions won’t cause mold but can make the cloth brittle and prone to cracking.
Store barkcloth flat whenever possible. For smaller pieces, use acid-free archival boxes rather than ordinary cardboard or wooden drawers, which contain acids that degrade organic materials over time. Wrap pieces in acid-free tissue paper or clean white cotton cloth. If a piece is too large to store flat, rolling is better than folding, since aged barkcloth becomes brittle and folds can set permanently.
Avoid attics with extreme temperature swings, damp basements, and spots near radiators. For display, larger pieces in good condition can be hung, but they need enough support points to distribute the weight evenly without creating holes or stress. Chemical treatments for pest control are not recommended. Instead, keep the cloth in clean, dry conditions with good air circulation and inspect it regularly for signs of insect damage.