Indian cotton textiles made for West African and American consumers were not imported directly from India. Rather, they were first exported from India to Europe, then re-exported to those markets.

Customs lists tracked the arrival and departure of these goods through European ports. A customs list made in 1739 documents the re-export of ten lengths of Mouchoirs de Madras [Madras Handkerchiefs] from the French port of Nantes to the West African market of Guinée, a coastal region stretching from modern-day Ghana to Equatorial Guinea.

This customs list is the earliest known record of ‘Madras handkerchiefs’ being traded by name.

Related Database Records

Entry no. 28: Customs list with information about Madras handkerchief exported to the Guinea Coast and Pulicat handkerchiefs to Holland.