In Mali weaving is generally done by men. Fulani (Peul) weavers, who are renowned for their richly patterned wool blankets and tent furnishings, form a specialist class of artisans. They practice their craft as a birthright and consider themselves to be full-time weavers. Among the Bambara (Bamanan) and Malinké (Maninka), where cotton weaving predominates, any man can be take up the craft, and most men weave only in the dry season when they are free from agricultural work.

Women play an important role in the handweaving industry. They card the cotton and prepare the wool, and they spin the thread. In the last several decades commercial cotton thread from Europe, China, and elsewhere has been steadily replacing handspun cotton.

The cotton or wool is woven into narrow strips that are later sewn together to form cloths or blankets of different sizes. Today, machine-woven commercial cloth is readily available, and the demand for handwoven textiles has decreased. However, handwoven textiles and blankets are still valued and regularly given as wedding gifts and used on ceremonial occasions. As weavers have migrated to the cities, some have created new types of products for urban clients and the tourist market.