Ethiopian Shemma Cotton Weave Art

Shemma: Ethiopia's National Garment

Shemma is the traditional Ethiopian white cotton wrap, worn by women across the highlands. The cloth's defining feature is its tibeb — colorful embroidered or woven borders at the edges.

Hand-Spun Cotton

Ethiopian cotton is hand-spun by women using drop spindles. The resulting yarn has a slightly irregular texture that gives shemma its distinctive character, unlike machine-made fabrics.

Tibeb Border Types

• Simple tibeb — thin colored stripe, everyday wear
• Wide tibeb — broad patterned border, special occasions
• Tilet — multi-colored geometric patterns, festivals

The Shemma Ensemble

A complete shemma outfit includes the large body wrapper and a matching shawl (netela) draped over the shoulders. The way the netela is draped communicates social context — mourning, church, or celebration.

Weaving Centers

Dorze weavers in southern Ethiopia are renowned for their skill. Addis Ababa's Shiro Meda market is the largest trading center, where hundreds of weavers sell directly to customers.