The cloth-weavers' tale . Authentic patterns, transition ... Ms Plean said members of her group of weavers now make a steady income, as do all the "cogs" in the production machine.

When the hackspace where this is being written created their textile room, a member who had previously been known only for her other work unexpectedly revealed herself to be a weaver, and offered t… ...

As weavers struggled to keep up with these demands, they fell into debt, explains Ashmore. They were paid upfront for the cloth, which could take up to a year to make.

And how do you price a cloth that takes three months to make? - Marfoh and other kente weavers living on Staten Island rarely get opportunities to apply their weaving skills, or to pass them along ...

KISSIMMEE — Claudia Tanner owns five looms, including one that is 110 years old. She uses them to weave old, traditional rag rugs. “Traditionally, every type of fabric was saved,” Tanner said.