A heaven for material girls

Fine fabrics for every taste: The biggest choice and best prices in town offers Suma, a not-so-easy-to-find local store on three floors in Darajani.

Printed fabrics in bold colours and flowing dresses – even though most of Zanzibari women cover themselves according to Muslim tradition, they do it in their very own style, colourful and bright. Tourists as well are fascinated by African fabrics, and no better place to buy them than at “Suma” near Darajani market, an empire of fabrics, stuffed to the roof with cotton, linen, silk and any other thinkable material.

It’s the one shop that apparently everyone knows – however, for a newcomer not an easy find: no road name, no shop sign, no shop window. „How do new clients discover you?“, I ask Mohammed Hussein, the owner and manager. He is a kind, busy gentleman who rules over the unimaginable amounts of fabrics. „Just ask for it”, he flatly replies. Of course, I should have guessed that. 

The Suma General Store belongs to Darajani for more than 30 years, when Mohammed Hussein took over from his dad. From kanga to kitenge, from linen to polyester – on three floors you can browse, compare patterns, colours and fabric qualities, get inspired. Glittery or plain, heavy or fluffy, traditional, colourful or dotted … the choice is endless. „Many of the hotels are buying here, too“, Mohammed says, „bed sheets, table clothes, decoration.“ Also, a lot of uniforms are made of Suma fabrics. „And the most expensive material, what would that be?“ I ask. Mohammed leads me to some colourful lace  – selling at a mere TZS 7,500 (just about three dollars) per metre.

I find some beautiful dark red linen, absolutely my colour, but am told that on the third floor fabrics are sold by roll only. If I want to buy just a few metres, it’s a floor below. There I happily get my red linen – of course not before I obtain a nice kitenge as a gift for friends.