Kikoi traditional attire is a woven rectangular cloth that originated as part of the Swahili culture. It is commonly worn as a type of sarong by the Maasai people of Kenya, coastal communities of Kenya, Tanzanian and Zanzibar people, as well as other communities in East Africa.
The patterns on the Kikoi cloth are woven onto the cotton materials and not dyed like the Adire fabrics or Kampala. Just like any other sarong, the single piece of cloth is wrapped around the waist and then rolled out in a particular design.
Kikoi or Kikoy is made of cotton, hence it is breathable and comfortable for making clothes. It can be tailored into a woman’s dress, a shirt, table clothes or pillowcases. Kikoi fabric can also be used as a sling for carrying babies, as a beach towel or even as a head wrap.
Most beach towels made from Kikoy have handmade tassels on two sides of the fabric. Up until today, the Kikoi fabrics are used as souvenirs for tourists visiting Kenya. The garment is used by both males and females as there are no restrictions to the masterpiece that can be created with them.
Centuries ago, Kikois were used for cultural exchange among and between East Africans, their trading partners and nations like Oman. In 1987, the Kikoi emerged in the American market with distributions from Abdul Majjid under the Echo Design Group