The "muraqqa’a" worn by Sufis were traditionally made out of wool, from which the Sufi derive their name, "suf" being the Arabic word for wool. However, the "jibba" worn by the Mahdi's followers were made of a rough cotton called "dammur". The production of cotton was carried out almost exclusively by the women of the Mahdiyya. The women spun the thread and wove it into fabric on looms. Next, the fabric was cut and sewn to make the flared skirt and long sleeves of the "jibba". Finally, patches were appliquéd onto the garment. The patches were also generally made out of cotton. However, after the Mahdist victory at the Siege of Khartoum, stocks of wool were taken from the city ruins and much of this fabric was used to make and repair patches. Scraps of enemy uniforms salvaged from battlefields were also used to patch the garments. Although the women of the Mahdiyya carried out most of the production, European prisoners were occasionally involved in the making process.