Resist-dyed cloths in a variety of patterns and brilliant colors are everywhere in Mali=s textile markets today. The three most common techniques are tie-and-dye, stitch-resist, and wax-resist dyeing. Tie-and-dye involves binding up cloth or wrapping it around small objects prior to dyeing. In stitch-resist dyeing the cloth is sewn or gathered in folds either by hand or machine before it is dyed. Wax-resist involves painting or stamping designs in a starchy paste or in wax onto the surface of the cloth prior to immersing it in the dye vat.

The most popular resist-dyed cloths are made from imported broadloomed damask. These damasks allow for more intricate and precise cutting and tailoring than handwoven strip cloth.

The desire for the new and fashionable drives the market, and cloth dyers, most of whom are women, are constantly creating new patterns or rearranging old ones in new configurations. Malians associate these resist-dyed textiles with modernity, wealth, change, and fashion.