Three panels of geometrically patterned 'Kuba cloth' hang on a metal rack in front of a white wall. The Kuba cloth panels are tan with brown tribal-style designs and hang suspended from a black metal bar. The cloth on the left features a continuous square spiral pattern. The center cloth has a series of nested squares and rectangles, some containing solid black diamond shapes. The cloth on the right utilizes a 'maze' pattern in blocks separating by brown lines. A dark wood floor spreads out below the cloths.

Kuba Cloth: Textures, Patterns, and Designs That Hit Different

June 15, 2025

Kuba cloth is one special textile. The patterns feel alive—full of movement and rhythm. The history behind it is rich, and the process to make it is both complex and artistic.

Here’s what you should know about this masterpiece coming from the heart of Central Africa—and how to make it look amazing in your space.

Kuba Textiles of the Congo: What You Need to Know

Kuba cloth comes from the Kuba people of what’s now the Democratic Republic of Congo. For generations, they’ve been weaving these textiles using raffia palm leaves.

The base cloth is woven (traditionally by men), then decorated with bold, layered designs using stitching, appliqué, and patchwork. Sometimes the patterns feel precise. Other times, they’re wild and unexpected.

Close-up of a Kuba cloth with geometric patterns in brown and beige. — Embroidered Kuba Textile: Kasai Velvet

Three Intricate Decoration Techniques

Kuba textiles are puzzles of layered techniques:

Embroidery:
- Cut pile gives the cloth a velvety touch. These are sometimes called “Kasai Velvets.”
- Flat embroidery looks more like a stitched drawing—no fuzz, just lines and shapes.
Appliqué:
- Bits of raffia are stitched onto the surface to form shapes and patterns. Some are neat and symmetrical, others feel spontaneous and free-form.
Patchwork:
- Pieces of the base cloth are cut out and replaced with different panels—some dyed, some plain. It ends up looking almost graphic, like modern art.

Many Kuba pieces combine two or more of these techniques in one. That’s part of their magic.

Close-up of vintage Kuba cloth featuring geometric patterns in beige and orange against a brown backdrop. — Kuba textile stitched with the Appliqué technique

Patterns That Feel Like Jazz

When I first saw Kuba cloth, it didn’t feel still—it felt like it was moving. The patterns had rhythm. They weren’t chaotic, but they weren’t predictable either.

A square piece of Kuba cloth displaying an elaborate geometric pattern in brown and tan. The cloth is woven with repeating motifs of diamonds and squares, some filled with solid brown or divided into checkered or quartered patterns. The craftsmanship highlights the symmetrical complexity of the design. — Kuba panel, Brooklyn Museum

The design elements are simple:

Geometric shapes like diamonds, spirals, zigzags
Near symmetry that sometimes breaks in unexpected ways
Repetition with surprise—a steady beat, then a twist

It’s a little like jazz: structured, but full of improvisation. That balance between order and flow is what gives Kuba cloth its unique style.

Close-up of vintage Kuba cloth featuring geometric pattern on raffia textile. — Kuba cloth with a maze-like design

Where to Showcase Kuba Cloth at Home

So how do you bring this incredible textile into your home without overwhelming your space? I’ve tried a few things and seen others that left a lasting impression. Here are my favorite design choices.

Frame Kuba Cloth Like the Art It Is

Living room with a yellow sofa, coffee table, and framed Kuba cloth hanging on the wall.

Framing Kuba cloth is hands-down my favorite approach. It turns it into the artwork it truly is. I like using wide white mats and simple black or wooden frames so the patterns stay the focal point.

You can hang framed Kuba cloth:

Above your sofa
Over a sideboard or console
On a narrow wall you never know how to fill
Right above a fireplace mantel for drama

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Hang It Freely and Let It Flow

A cozy reading nook features a striking piece of Kuba cloth hanging vertically on the wall, complementing the modern aesthetic of the room.

A large Kuba textile works beautifully as a wall hanging. It brings texture and movement, especially if you let it drape slightly instead of pinning it flat.

Use a large rug-style Kuba cloth to fill a big empty wall
Try a long, narrow strip as a soft tapestry in a hallway or reading nook
Drape it as a curtain panel to frame a window or doorway

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Upholster With Intent

A serene bedroom showcases a bed adorned with a variety of pillows and a Kuba cloth accent pillow, beneath a framed landscape painting.

If you’re feeling bold, try using Kuba cloth for upholstery. It adds a graphic look to home accents. The key is to use it sparingly so it doesn’t compete with everything else in the room.

Great options include:

Throw pillows—especially with a mix of solids
Lampshades, looking sculptural with the patterns
Small ottomans or benches

I’ve even seen it used to wrap headboards and it looked fantastic.

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Kuba Cloth Is History You Can Live With

What I love most about Kuba cloth is how it sits at the intersection of art and identity. It’s not there just to match a color palette—it brings a backstory that’s hard to forget.

For anyone who loves decor that means something, this textile is the real deal. It holds tradition. It holds technique. And somehow, it fits beautifully into a 21st-century home.

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