Tracing the developments in Bark Cloth as a Product Design Material in Buganda region case study: Salongo Mugalula Mukiibi

Abstract

The research attempted to find out the adoption of bark cloth as a product design material in Buganda region with a study case of Salongo Mugalula Mukiibi. The research was guided by three objectives which include; examining the history and the production of bark cloth in Buganda region, to find out the historical uses of bark cloth and to find out the adoption of bark cloth as a product design material. The bark cloth is a non woven traditional fabric made by way of stripping, beating the inner bark of the mutuba tree. The fabric is well known to be produced by the Ngonge clan from the Buganda kingdom. The study reveals the developments of bark cloth in Buganda region following its trend and the attitude of the people towards the fabric. The innovations and applicability of bark cloth by fashion designers, textile designers among other artists. However, the study reveals the exploration and adoption of bark cloth as a product design material by Salongo Mugalula Mukiibi (case study). Mugalula Mukiibi who is a professional artist and graduate from Makerere University whose endeavors is to utilize bark cloth for innovative production of aesthetics, creative and visual realities. The study analyses data about bark cloth from Mugalula (case study) and other key informants