"African wax print" encompasses cotton textiles adorned with vibrant African motifs, crafted through the industrial wax-resist method. These fabrics, boasting bold hues and intricate patterns, possess a rich cultural legacy, earning them monikers like African Wax Print, Dutch Wax Print, or Ankara Hollandaise. Their journey traces back to the 19th century, when Dutch merchants, leveraging their dominance in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), sought to replicate the intricate Batik prints native to the region.
 
Initially woven in Africa since the 6th century AD, cotton fabrics were traditionally dyed using natural pigments. However, it was the Dutch who introduced industrially wax-printed designs to the continent during the colonial era. Inspired by Batik, the Dutch mechanized the process, utilizing wax-covered copper rollers to imprint intricate designs onto both sides of the fabric. This innovative approach endowed the textiles with a unique resistance to subsequent dyeing, resulting in striking patterns that captured the essence of African aesthetics. Despite facing initial skepticism in Indonesia due to the mechanical process's unintended veined effect, these prints found enthusiastic reception in West Africa, where they were celebrated as a testament to the craftsmanship and quality of the printing process. Thus, the genesis of African wax printing took root in its indigenous soil, marking the beginning of a vibrant cultural tradition.