Appliquéd cloth is an important art form in Benin, West African, particularly in the area around Abomey, where it has been a tradition since the 18th century and the kingdom of Danhomè.

When you use applique to decorate something like a pillow or a handbag, you often cut out fabric shapes and sew or glue them on. Applique is the technique that's used to make sports or college banners as well, attaching letters to the triangular fabric. You can also spell the word with an accented e, appliqué, which gives you a clue about its pronunciation — the last syllable rhymes with "hay." The French root word is appliquer, "to apply."