Everything you need to know about searching, verifying, and registering authentic handwoven Kente. Searching, submitting, and verifying are always free.
Using the Registry
Is the Kente Registry free to use?
Yes — completely, and always. Searching the registry, submitting a weaver or cloth, and verifying a cloth’s authenticity are all free. There is no account fee, paywall, or membership tier. The Registry is a not-for-profit cultural preservation initiative funded by grants, institutional partnerships, and donations — never by the sale, valuation, or trade of registered cloths.
How do I verify a cloth or weaver?
Use the lookup tool on the Verify Authenticity page. You can search by Registry ID (KR number), weaver name, cloth or pattern name, or by scanning the QR code on a certificate. Registry ID and QR lookups return results instantly.
What if my cloth doesn’t have a Registry ID?
Many authentic cloths predate the Registry or were acquired before it launched. Use the manual search to look up the weaver’s name or community. Where relevant, our team will consult the weaving community and report back to you, typically within a few working days.
My cloth came back “Not Found” — does that mean it’s fake?
Not necessarily. It may mean the weaver isn’t registered yet, the cloth was made before the Registry launched, or the ID was entered incorrectly. Try a manual search by weaver or community, or contact us and we’ll help investigate.
Can I verify Kente I bought outside Ghana?
Yes. The Registry is designed to serve the global Ghanaian diaspora and international buyers. Authentic Kente sold anywhere should trace back to its origin in a Ghanaian weaving community.
Registering a Weaver, Design, or Cloth
Who can register, and what can be registered?
There are three pathways: a Master Weaver profile, a Design (pattern) registration, and a Cloth Authentication. Weaver registration is open to Ghanaian practitioners working in the authentic Ashanti or Ewe strip-weaving traditions. Members of the public anywhere may submit a cloth they own for authentication.
Does the cloth have to be handwoven?
Yes — this is fundamental to the Kente Registry. Only authentic Kente hand-woven in strips on a traditional treadle loom is eligible. Machine-made and digitally printed fabric is definitively excluded and cannot be registered or authenticated, regardless of appearance. Protecting the distinction between genuine handwoven Kente and imitation cloth is central to the Registry’s purpose.
What will I need to submit?
For a cloth: clear photos of the full cloth (front and back), close-ups of at least two motifs, approximate dimensions, and any known weaver, community, or history. For a weaver: full name and honorifics, community and workshop location, years active, lineage or apprenticeship details, and photographs. You don’t need every item to begin — partial information is recorded as partial, and more can be added later.
How long does the form take, and how long is review?
The form takes most people about 15–30 minutes. After submission, an initial completeness review usually happens within about seven working days, and a decision typically follows within 2–4 weeks. For weaver profiles and historically significant cloths, community verification with elders and master weavers can take longer.
Can I fix a mistake or add to my record later?
Yes. The Registry is a living, collaborative record. If you spot an error or have more information about a weaver, cloth, or community, submit it through the submission form and we will revise the entry as the record deepens.
Rights, Value, and Trust
Who owns the designs, photos, and information I submit?
You do. Intellectual and cultural rights remain with the original weavers and communities. By submitting, you grant the Registry a non-exclusive licence to display and use the material for the purpose of operating the archive and advocating for Kente’s protection. Nothing transfers ownership of a weaver’s patterns or creative work to the Registry.
Does a KR number mean my cloth is worth money?
No. A Kente Registry number is a permanent record that the Registry has examined a submission and published what it found. It is not a certificate of monetary value, an appraisal, a guarantee of worth, or a tradable asset. The Registry does not buy, sell, or value cloths.
What information becomes public?
Weaver profiles are intended to be public so buyers and institutions can verify authenticity — this includes name, community, weaving tradition, pattern specialisations, and photographs. Private contact details are not published without explicit permission. Cloth certificate records are publicly verifiable by number. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.
What is the Geographical Indication (GI), and why does it matter?
Ghana’s 2025 GI recognition legally protects Kente as a product of specific Ghanaian communities — comparable to how Champagne can only come from one region of France. A GI-compliant cloth was woven in an approved community using traditional methods, and the Registry documents that compliance for each registered cloth.
What if a cloth or claim is disputed?
Where a submission can’t be verified, or a claim is contested, the Registry says so in writing within the record — honest gaps are part of the archive. Entries containing deliberate misinformation, misappropriation of community identity, or fraudulent authorship may be declined or removed, and the Registry may revise published entries if new evidence emerges.