BLK 026 Krukru Bite

The term “krukru bite” (also spelt kukrubite) refers to a category of imported, dark-colored cotton fabrics—often in checks, stripes, or plaids—highly valued by the Kalabari people of the Niger Delta in Nigeria. It is a handwoven cotton textile imported from India to the Niger Delta for over two hundred years.

These imported fabrics have long been a highly prized form of traditional wear among the Kalabari men and women. The history of krukru bite is tied to a unique Kalabari textile art process: Kalabari women, and occasionally men, developed a unique technique to transform the imported madras into an original, locally recognized cultural symbol. This art form involves a subtractive process that turns the imported item into an indigenous one.

The Pelete Bite Distinction: The more famous “cut-thread” or “pulled-thread” cloth is called pelete bite. This is created by carefully using a needle and razor blade to remove selected white threads from the striped or checked krukru bite (dark) or injiri (light) base fabrics. The resulting tiny holes and newly created geometric motifs give the fabric a distinct visual effect and new patterns with Kalabari names.

The Traditional Attire: Both the unaltered krukru bite and the modified pelete bite are worn as highly esteemed wrappers, singly by men or layered by women, for important cultural events, marriages, and funerals.

The Contemporary Attires: Today, krukru bite not only remains a significant component of the rich Kalabari dress tradition, prized for its quality and history as a fabric that bridged international trade with unique local artistry, it is now featuring in contemporary fashion for young women, men and even children all over Nigeria with designs way beyond wrappers!