What is habesha kemis, and where can you buy one in Addis Ababa?

Habesha kemis is Ethiopia's best-known traditional dress: a long, flowing dress of handwoven white cotton with a band of colourful woven pattern, the tibeb, running along the hem, the cuffs and the neckline. Women wear it with a fine cotton shawl, the netela, for church, weddings and the big holidays. The place to buy one in Addis Ababa is Shiro Meda, the city's traditional clothing market below the Entoto hills.

This guide explains what you are looking at, how to tell a well-made dress from a cheap copy, and how to shop at Shiro Meda without stress. Shiro Meda is a drive from most hotels, so the easy way to do it is with a driver by the day: we drop you at the market, wait while you browse, and keep your bags in the car while you carry on with your day.

What exactly is habesha kemis?

The dress is made from shemma, a cotton cloth handwoven on narrow looms in long strips that are then sewn together. The cloth is traditionally white or off-white. The decoration comes in two main forms: tibeb, patterns woven straight into the cloth with extra coloured threads, and tilf, embroidery stitched on by hand after the weaving is done. Many dresses combine both.

The style grew up in the Amhara and Tigrayan highlands, and different areas have their own looks. Dresses in the Shewa style, the one most people picture, often have a single band of pattern around the hem and a panel down the front, while styles from Gojjam and Wollo can be far more densely decorated or use coloured cloth. Today most dresses sold in Addis mix regional styles with modern cuts, from ankle-length to knee-length.

The other pieces: netela, gabi and men's clothing

• Netela. A thin, single-layer cotton shawl worn over the head and shoulders, especially to church. It usually has a woven border that matches the dress.
• Gabi. A much thicker cotton wrap of several layers, worn by men and women on cold highland mornings and evenings. It makes a good, practical souvenir.
• Men's clothing. Men wear a white cotton shirt, often embroidered to match the women's dresses, and a white cotton shawl called a kuta over the shoulders or head, especially for church.
• Other traditions. Ethiopia has many peoples and many ways of dressing. Harari, Oromo, Afar, Somali and Tigrayan dress all differ, so habesha kemis is one national favourite, not the only traditional dress.

When do Ethiopians wear it?

Habesha kemis is dress for special days. The busiest seasons for dressmakers are Timkat (Epiphany) in January, Genna (Christmas) on 7 January, Fasika (Easter) and the wedding season. On those days you will see streets and churchyards full of white cotton and bright borders, and many church-goers wear white shawls all year round. In the countryside some women still wear it every day.

Nobody expects a visitor to wear one, but plenty of travellers buy a dress, a netela or a men's shirt to wear to a festival or a family event, or simply to take home. If you are visiting for Timkat or Meskel, buying an outfit a few days before is a lovely way to join in.

Where can you buy habesha kemis in Addis Ababa?

Shiro Meda market

Shiro Meda is the city's main market for traditional dress, in the north of Addis at the foot of the Entoto hills. Hundreds of stalls line the busy Entoto road, and some stalls are indoors. You will find habesha kemis in every style, netelas, gabis, men's shirts, scarves, T-shirts and souvenirs. It is also a historic weaving district: weavers from the Dorze community in the south settled here in the early 1900s and became famous for their tibeb.

Bargaining is normal, so walk around, compare a few stalls and agree the price before anything is wrapped. Carry cash in birr in small notes. It is a busy market, so keep your phone and wallet out of sight, as you would anywhere crowded.

Sabahar for handwoven scarves

If you want a netela-style scarf or a woven throw without bargaining, Sabahar is a fair-trade textile business that has woven cotton and silk in Addis for years. Its shop has fixed prices and takes local and international cards as well as cash. As of September 2026 its website lists the shop as open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm. It sells scarves and homewares rather than full dresses.

Made to measure

Many shops and tailors in Addis will make a dress to your measurements. A fully handmade dress, from spinning to weaving to stitching, can take three weeks or more, so if you want one made, start on your first day in the city or ask the shop what it can finish before you fly.

How do you tell a good dress from a cheap copy?

Cheap machine-made copies, often in polyester rather than cotton, are sold alongside handwoven dresses. They look similar from a distance and cost much less. Neither is wrong to buy, but you should know which one you are paying for.

1. Feel the fabric. Handwoven cotton is soft and slightly uneven. Shiny, slippery fabric is usually synthetic.
2. Look at the weave. Hold the cloth up to the light. Tightly woven cloth lasts longer and costs more.
3. Look at the decoration. More complex woven and embroidered patterns take longer to make, so they should cost more.
4. Ask. Stallholders will usually tell you honestly whether a piece is handwoven or machine-made, and what it is made from.

How should you care for it and pack it?

Ask the seller how to wash the piece. Handwoven cotton and coloured borders need gentle care. Dresses fold small and travel well in a suitcase. New clothing and textiles are ordinary souvenirs, unlike antiques, which need an export permit; our guide to what to buy in Addis Ababa covers the export rules.

Is Shiro Meda easy to reach?

Shiro Meda sits on the road up to Entoto, so it pairs naturally with Entoto Park and its views over the city. Traffic in Addis can be slow, and a car and driver that wait for you make the visit simple. Addis Ababa is a busy, friendly city with ordinary daily life; some governments currently advise against travel to parts of the north, which does not affect a shopping trip in the capital.