Fabrics out of Purest Nature

Ibenstein Weavers is the sole company in Namibia which makes hand-woven fabrics. We use undyed natural fibres only: robust cotton, soft and absorbent bamboo, noble linen and the lightweight, hand-spun wild silk from the Kalahari.

It takes four days for a weaver to mount the warp on the loom. Hundreds of strings with a length of 200 to 500 metres have to be threaded through the delicate ‘reed’ of the loom. During the actual weaving process the weaving thread of up to 1.80 m long is pulled through the entire width of the warp by a shuttle. Selvages are stitched automatically to prevent fraying.

The design of the fabrics is the result of mixing the different natural fibre yarns. This in turn determines the ultimate use of the fabrics. They are suited for curtains, table cloths, bed linen or clothing. Well-known Namibian designer Melanie Hartefeld-Becker, for example, uses our silks to create the most exquisite fashions. She dressed Miss Namibia 2005 in a blend of silk, linen and cotton.