Screen printing roller , made by ABC Wax, Manchester. This is a superwax design made out of nickel screen mesh with green lacquer.

A team of skilled workers designed and made these rollers to print repeat bold and complex patterns on cotton cloth to create fabrics called wax prints, known variously as English wax, Dutch wax or African wax print and locally derived names such as Ankara. To make wax prints, the cloth goes through multiple processes. New designs, and therefore new rollers, were launched at the rate of up to 200 per year.

To produce wax prints, the cloth is first passed through a set of two printing rollers. The rollers print a layer of resin (in place of wax) onto both sides of the cloth. The cloth is then dyed, usually in indigo. When the resin is removed, areas covered in the resin are left undyed. Additional layers of colours and patterns are added by repeating this process or using hand-printing blocks or rollers. Part of the appeal of the wax prints is the small, irregular bubbles and crackling effect, making each fabric complex and unique. Developed to suit their customers’ tastes, Manchester-based designers responded to feedback on popular colours and patterns. Local sellers would inform merchants which styles were in demand and suggest motifs that would sell well. Colour preferences, motifs and cultural symbols varied across countries and regions.

Designs and colourways have often taken on meanings and names and become associated with specific events, celebrations, and proverbs. Equally, designs were often inspired by events, celebrations, and proverbs. The fabric may represent something the wearer wants to express, such as whether they are educated, wealthy or pregnant, usually through representing a well-known phrase or proverb. One pattern might mean that the wearer is arguing with their partner or family, and another might say that the wearer is ready to marry.

It is typical for wax prints to have several different colourways for each pattern. A whole piece of fabric is 12 yards in length. The width of the fabric varies between different manufacturers; it is usually 45 to 48 inches.