Cypriot Textile Traditions
The history of textiles and the various materials & techniques used by the people of Cyprus in the villages of Fyti and Leukara.
Introduction to Cypriot textile history
During the summer of 2020, I visited the small village of Fyti in the Pafos region, known for its colorful weaving, or ‘fytiotika.’ I met one of the few remaining practitioners of this traditional craft, a woman who inherited her skills from her mother and has passed them down to her own daughter. I was eager to learn more about the weaving process and the history behind ‘fytiotika.’
Despite Cyprus being a small island, it has a rich variety of handmade textiles, although the fibers and techniques used are quite similar.
Fun Fact: Looms were part of every household until the 20th century. Textiles played a significant role in the lives of Cypriot women. Little girls began weaving at the age of 8 or 10, creating textiles for their ‘proika’ (dowry), and would continue this practice throughout their lives. Typically, a mother or other family members would teach the younger girls about raw materials and the art of weaving and embroidery.
Materials used in the making of fabrics
Cyprus once had local cotton production, making this fiber highly utilized for fabrics, traditional clothing, and embroideries/laces. The most popular woven pieces are of geometric designs, either white or colorful.
Silk production was widespread on the island and was mainly performed by men known as ‘metaxades.’ The area of Kerynia was particularly renowned for silk production. It was common for families to have a silk “farm” in their homes, making silk fabrics accessible to both rich and poor Cypriots. Additionally, silk was an important export.
Wool and goat fibers were primarily used for bedcovers rather than clothing, as winters in Cyprus are not severe. Men in the Troodos area wove heavy fabrics into rugs and bags for animals.
Linen has been produced since prehistoric times and continued until the 20th century. A blend of linen and silk was used in the famous Cypriot ‘kentima’ (white embroideries) from the village of Lefkara.
Dyes used for coloring fibers were plant-based and sourced locally. For example, red dye came from the plant ‘rizari.’ Before synthetic colors were introduced to the island, cotton, silk, and woolen yarns were dyed using plant materials.
Textile techniques on the island of Cyprus
Weaving
Embroidery
Block Printing: Wooden blocks for printing were made from olive trees. Men used a technique called ‘pasmades,’ while women assisted in dyeing scarves, or ‘mantilia.’ Yellow, dark red, and light green colors were designated for young women, while brown and dark green were for the more mature and married. Older women or widows wore black.
Tie-Dye: The village of Koilani was known for its silk headscarves in red, dark red, yellow, and green. These scarves were intended for the wealthy or for export to the Greek islands. Women specializing in this technique were known as ‘sialarenes.’
Weaving in the village of Fyti
In the small village of Fyti, fabrics with a white cotton background are woven with stripes in five colors: yellow, green, blue, red, and orange. This decorating process is called ‘ploumia,’ derived from the word ‘decorate.’ In Fyti, weaving was the primary occupation for women, and the fabrics often featured human figures, such as girls known as ‘oi koroudes’ or ‘foinikoudes.’ Cotton was primarily used, with wool reserved for winter, featuring heavy, colorful stripes always on a white background.
Embroidery from the village of Lefkara
The village of Lefkara is renowned for its embroideries known as ‘kentimata’ or ‘lefkaritika.’ These embroideries often feature designs based on a “river” motif along the edges of the textile, with geometric shapes and nature-inspired elements. Various techniques, such as hemstitch, cutwork, satin stitch fillings, and needlepoint edgings, are used. These skilled embroiderers create designs that showcase their talents. The ‘kentimata’ are used in Cyprus for decorating dowry clothing, bedside tables, sheets, and towels. In the Greek islands, similar embroideries are attached to shirts as decoration.
Lace from Lefkara
Cypriot laces, or ‘danteles,’ also made in Lefkara, were inspired by Venetian lace (redicello) from the 16th and 17th centuries, reflecting Cyprus's historical Italian influence. Women used silk, linen, or cotton threads to create these delicate laces, with patterns often featuring geometric shapes such as diamonds, moons, walnuts, arches, and less commonly crosses, fishbones, and grapes.
These traditional laces were highly valued by women preparing for marriage. A mother would often pass down her textiles to her daughter. The weavings, embroideries, and laces created by the bride (or borrowed) would decorate the entire house, including living rooms, sofas, beds, walls, and ceilings. Weddings, which lasted several days, prominently featured these textiles as a form of decoration and display.
