1. travel
2. tourist destinations
3. africa

ASSESSMENT OF THE ACCEPTABILITY OF AFRICAN
FABRICS AMONG UNDERGRADUATE
CASE STUDY UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
BY
OKOUGHA ODION HABEEBAT
MATRIC NO: 06/0299
SUPERVISOR MR O.J. LABODE
DEPARTMENT OF HOME SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
COLLEGE OF FOOD SCIENCE AND HUMAN ECOLOGY
OCTOBER, 2010
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CERTIFICATION
This is to certify that OKOUGHA ODION HABEEBAT of matriculation Number 2006/0299,
Department of Home Science and Management, College of Food Science and Human Ecology,
University of Agriculture, Ogun State is under my supervision.
………………………………
……………………………..
MR. O.J. LABODE
Date
2
DEDICATION
This project is dedicated to Almighty Allah, the most beneficence the most merciful. It is also
dedicated to my darling father – Late Mr. Kingsley Okougha.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My sincere gratitude goes to Almighty God who has seen me through these in UNAAB.
I also want to extend my thanks to my supervisor, Mr. Oladoyin Labode for his patience,
guidance and supervision of this project.
My profound gratitude goes to my wonderful mother, Mrs. Queen Okougha for
supporting me financially, morally and spiritually. Also I say thank you to Aminat, Ibrahim,
zainab, Yakub, Pat and Akhere for all their encouragements and support.
Also to my meaningful friends and course mates Oluwo Azeez Jaiyeola Adedodeye,
Shola Odebode, Queen Adekoye, Dayo Amosun Tunrayo ALAbi. I say thank you for your
encouragements, support and motivation.
My prayer for all of you that contributed in one way or the other to my success is that
God will bless you.
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ABSTRACT
The act of clothing in Africa is generally carried out by both men and women. This cloth design
could be done by stamping dye or weaving design into textile used for clothing. African fabric is
very beautiful but not really embraces by the undergraduate. The aim of this research is to
determine the use of African fabric by undergraduate. An acceptability test was carried out in
University of Agriculture, Abeokuta with the population of study including male and female.
From this population size, 200 respondents were selected using random sampling techniques.
Data collection was by the use of questionnaire. Data was subjected to frequency count
percentages. The result shows that a greater percentage of the respondents use foreign fabric. The
qualities of African fabric are attractive and unique but some are very expensive. Majority 75.5%
of the respondents doesn’t use African fabrics on daily basis while 24.5% use African fabrics on
daily basis.
Majority (59%) of the respondents don’t sew trousers or shorts with African fabrics while
41% do. Majority 66% of respondents wear tight fitted dresses while 34% do not. 52.5% do not
wear African fabrics to night party while 47.5% do wear. Majority 93.3% of respondents
appreciate African garments design with sefuince in an event while just 6.5% don’t. 94% of
respondents cannot wear suit made of African fabric to an interview while just 6% can wear suits
made of African fabric to an interview. Majority 90.5% of the respondent’s feels African fabrics
are more durable than foreign fabrics. Majority 67% of the respondents prefer foreign fabrics in
producing garment while just 33% of the respondents prefer African fabrics to foreign fabrics in
producing garments.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
Title Page
i
Certification
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgement
iv
Abstract
v
Table of content
vi
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
Introduction
1
1.1
Statement of problem
5
1.2
Broad Objective
6
1.3
Specific Objective
6
1.4
Research Question
6
CHAPTER TWO
2.0
Beautiful African fabric
7
2.0.2 African clothing
11
2.0.3 Africa Dress
12
2.0.4 Ankara
14
2.1
15
African batik art
2.1.1 Tie-Dye
16
6
2.1.2 Dyes
17
2.1.3 Traditional Tie-Dye
17
2.1.4 Mudmee tie-dye
18
2.2
19
Popular Culture
2.2.1 Stripweave
20
2.2.2 Materials
20
2.2.3 Kente Cloth
20
2.3
22
Tradition
2.3.1 Origin
22
2.3.2 Kanga
23
2.3.4 Origins
23
2.3.5 Communicator Vehicle
23
2.4
24
African Textile
2.4.1 Cultural Significance
25
2.5
25
Urban Trends in African Food
2.5.1 Africa Sub-Saharan history of dress
28
2.5.2 Dressing the upper body
29
2.6
36
Headwear
CHAPTER THREE
3.0
Research Methodology
40
3.1
Area of Study
40
7
3.2
Population of Study
41
3.3
Sample size
41
3.4
Method of Data collection
42
3.5
Method of data analysis
42
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0
Result and Discussion
43
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0
Conclusion and Recommendation
54
5.1
Conclusion
54
5.2
Recommendation
54
Reference
55
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
ORIGIN OF FASHION: The difficulty associated with promoting Nigeria design and clothing
may actually be based on the origin of fashion. The fashion industry, today a multi-trillion dollar
business in the world, is understood as part of a cultural and social history. Fashion cannot be
seperated from our daily lives; even those who refuse to follow fashion, it is argued, do in other
not to partake in trends.The subjected of fashion in Africa has only attracted serious attention
over the last few years. It is often argued that fashion is an attribute only of the western capitalist
system to be contrasted, favorably or otherwise, with the supposed stability of dress styles in socalled “traditional societies”. The impact of these developments on African cloth goes beyond
the selective adoption of new materials such as synthetic fibers and lurex. Many designers
working in African are attempting to give their work a local appeal by utilizing traditions of
wearing and textile designs in contemporary dress styles.
The art of cloth design in Africa is generally carried out by both men and women. This cloth
design could be done by stamping dye or weaving design into textile used for clothing. Back in
the days, just like Jewelries, these textiles may be used to indicate social status or group
membership but in the modern days in African any king of fabric is accessible as long as one can
afford them. The undergraduate still don’t really believe in the African fabric, they take it as their
Friday and Sunday wear. They so much believe in the contemporary fabric and design.
There are different types of fabric commonly use in Africa that can be used to design
different garment e.g. Kente, Adire (tie and dye) Ankara, wooden, Aso-oke, George.
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Kente is presently the most popular African fabric; kente cloth is made by the people of Gold
Coast (mainly the Akan, tante Asante and Nzema tribes in Ghana). Kente is also known as
Nwentoma which means woven cloths worn only in times of extreme important by royal class.
Widely in use now kente is still held in high esteem in Akan Clan and the whole of Ghana in
general.
Adire is made from cotton fabric treated with indigo dye. The art of dying clothe started in
Africa as for back as the 4th century. In Yoruba land, dyeing is done by the women and passed
down to daughters. Many families have their unique pattern passed the generation. In north
however, dyeing is a man’s art and the dye pits are famous in world. Among of Yoruba, the
traditional colour for wrapped skirt, loose blouse and headtile4s is blue, the colour of indigo. In
most Yoruba market are role of cloth with beautiful patterns. Small circular design are made in
some cloth, by pinching up lots of the materials and tying them with them with raffia or thread
before, dying to produce the larger, tucks are made in the lightly sewn. When the dyers dip the
white cloth into their big drums, the indigo (now varieties of colour are used) cannot soak into
the field and sown parts. The results show white after the cloth is dried up and the stitching and
raffia taken out. Another dipping will stain the white design is soft pale blue or in a different
colour entirely. The patterns have a name each, there is the “meeting place of roads” a crossshaped pattern in the centre of a cloth. A spiral shape of beads is called “welcome to the
masquerade”.
Akwete are clothes produced in Akwete of Abia state, eastern Nigerian. They are produced in a
wide range of patterns from plain striped ones to profusely, rather picturesque type based on
geometrical motifs of domestic animals. Others are patterned along symbolic objects floated or
plain ground weaves by extra wafting.
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Some weavers derive sources of their pattern motifs from inspiration and imagination while
some copy or make their original drawings and then copy again them when weaving.
Ankara people are of the opinion that ankara fabric are produce in Nigeria. Originally ankara are
not produced in Africa, Ankara (also known as wax prints) has been specially produced for
Africans and imported into Africa from Holland since 1846. The types of African (especially
Nigerians) have fully accepted this fabric (made from cotton) and made it theirs.
Woodin Printed in the Ivory Coast, this fabric has distinctive African flair. Woodin is beautiful
to behold. Different types of woodi exist including Bassam, Ethnic, Batik, Safari, Afric etc.
Batiks is the most expensive type of woodin. Made with pure cloth, batik is hand printed using
various coloured pigment of dye. The long and careful process of production as made woodin not
has common as other African fabric.
Aso-oke are fabric made of strips before joined together. The traditional Yoruba
women’s aso oke outfit consist ot four parts: the bube(a blouse like shirt), a wrapper (iro), the
head tie (gele), and a shawl or shoulder slash (ipele). Aso oke comes in style of fashion which
allow people to choose the one that is suitable for them. (lambs and holms 2000). They are
Commonly used by the Yoruba’s in Nigeria for occasions. Cotton warps and wefts, imported or
domestic, commercially spurn or hand spin yarns are usually the materials for aso oke weaving.
Among the Yoruba, anaphase, the wild silk is treasured and woven into strip of cloth called
sanya, a clothing for important event. The wild silk, in some places is used for warp and wet
yarns. In places like Ilorin, Cotton fibre is used for warp and the indigenous silk for weft Alari is
silk fiber dyed deep red and wove into narrow band strips to be seen into wrappers and agbada
for wedding as well as other important event.
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Narrow band cloth is the common nature for aso-oke ion Yoruba.
Often weavers are
commissioned to weave a special pattern of aso-oke for a family, friends or age groups for
special event or occasions such as naming ceremonies, wedding and funeral or
important
birthday ceremonies.
Etu is a special narrow band finely woven fabric from indigo-dyed cotton, when is deep, blueblack in hue and dyed over a period of three years. Etu is used for funerals and other somber
event.
George Originally from India, George cloth was used by the Indians for their saris. Africans
embraced this material and Nigerians in the eastern and riverian parts (the Ibos and Ijaws
mainly) use George as
part of their traditional attire. The tribes use different colours of
Bogolan.This is to the weaver what the shell is to the further, bogolan is the mud-dyed cloth,
from Mali although this type of cloth design is gaining grounds world wide. Traditionally, an
arisit hand print only on the negative spaces, allowing the main image stand out the unpainted
white design on cloths
Undergraduate are student that are studying for their first degree. They believe they have to
follow the trend of fashion forgetting the use of African fabric. Most of them don’t believe in
wearing garment made with African fabric during the week of school except Fridays and
Sundays because they believe so well that garment made from contemporary fabric looks more
beautiful and attractive.
A style is a collection of individual features making up a garment (Carr et al., 1992).Fashion
itself is prevailing styles a t any given time. Thus before one can be fashionable the person itself
is prevailing styles at any given time. The selection of appropriate colour of a fabric to be used
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when construction a style because a right selection of fabric brings about more satisfaction in a
designed garment. The choice of fabric will depend on the type of garment. The choice of fabric
will depend on the type of garment
and should be compared with the cloth for the finished
garment. (Lily and Martia, 1992).
Some of the companies like ABC, WAX, AFPRINT and WICHEMTEX in Nigeria have good
fabric and are usually sold in the local market. Fabrics sold to the Nigerian market are used
mostly by the women folk to do wrapper and top. Some Nigerians designers therefore prefer
fabrics that are not commonly found in the country. Some of them work with woodin. It textile
tends to reflect true African looks, Uduna Katu (2007).
Fabric and style are so closely linked together that each must be suitable for the other
which ever is chosen first. They should look right on the wearer together e.g. the designer and
fabric suitable or a tall, well built person might be quite. The wrong choice for a smaller, more
fragile looking person, although the same style of dress may suit both people
One way to stand out in a party is to adorn a spackling dress. Sequins are fun to wear and offer
instant glamour. When it comes to sequins, less is more. The key is wearing a sequins dress
tastefully and in moderation. Never over do things otherwise, you can have a sequins overload,
jemi ekunkunbor (2010)
1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
As far back as when civilization started in Nigeria, there has been a tremendous trend in fashion,
whereby the populace have come to embrace the foreign fabric over the African fabric. The
under graduate do not see garment made with Africa fabric more attractive to hem they belief in
the foreign fabric.
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1.2 BROAD OBJECTIVES
1) To determine the acceptability of African fabrics among UNAAB student.
1.3
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
The specific objectives of the study are to:
I. Assess the perception of student about the use of African fabric.
II. Identify the form in which student use African fabric.
III. Find out possible constrain to the use of African fabric among UNAAB student.
1.4
RESEARCH QUESTION
I. What is the opinion of student about the use of Africa fabric in producing garment.
II. W hat is the level of acceptability of Africa fabric over the foreign fabric.
III. What is the durability and quality of Africa Fabric?
IV. What are the constrain to the use African fabric.
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CHAPTER TWO
2.0 BEAUTIFUL AFRICAN FABRICS
The creation of spectacular material using wax is not a new innovation. The method originated in
Holland in the 1800's when a merchant, traveling to Java, saw the people wearing exotic clothing
and brought a description of the wax process home. This Holland Wax Fabrics was then
introduced to Africa in the 1900's, was instantly accepted, and has become the most widely used
textile. Murray (1999) describes the weaving activities of women in Omu-Aran in Ilorin province
as a craft done mainly to serve domestic needs.
Working on the theme of African culture and beliefs, the Dutch wax fabrics designed bold and
enthralling patterns with predominating bright browns, yellows, and reds. This patterned fabric,
now known as the African Wax Print, has received worldwide attention. As the African Dress
Style of the nation, it is highly sought after by those in the upper class and are proudly worn as
an indication of their sophistication and knowledge of the latest trends in African dress fashion
and African fashion design.
To produce this material a wax-resistant dyeing technique is used. A design is drawn onto the
material with hot wax after which it is dipped in the dye. The dye does not penetrate the wax.
While, originally this was a long process that was done by hand, there are now machines which
perform this operation. An additional benefit to the material prepared this way is that the pattern
is printed on both sides of the material making it more versatile.
This fabric is breathtaking to behold. Its outstanding beauty cannot be matched and has caught
world-wide attention. Fashion shows, which display these amazing creations, are always filled
15
capacity and have a huge number of sales. The outstanding designs are now being adapted to
home and office decorating schemes as well where bright, striking colors are desired.
It requires a great deal of experience and technique to design this material. The designers
involved are top of the line and continue to produce outstanding patterns, which appeal to their
varied clientele. Many times, they travel to the various areas of Africa to learn about their myths
and legends in order to incorporate them into the design elements of the material. The result is
that many people can recognize the material as originating from their location. Perani and Wolff
(1999) explained that African people have developed rich textile traditions and distinctive forms
of dress to communicate and enhance cultural meanings. In any one cultural context, a particular
type of cloth or dress item can be a visible sign, clearly signaling gender, social status, political
office.
African women love to wear garments that represent their country and it has become so popular
it is now considered the national dress. Whether one is walking along the street or attending a
special engagement, the wearer soon becomes the center of attention. Wearing a gown made of
these choice fabrics is considered the height of African fashion.The timeless beauty and quality
of the fabric is apparent to anyone with or without knowledge of textiles. The small details bring
out the splendor of the larger pattern, which is only enhanced by the brilliant colors. Having a
garment made of this fabric is every woman’s dream who wishes to be known as well-attuned to
the latest fashion trends on the market.
2.0.1 AFRICAN CLOTHING AND DESIGNS
Because there are so many choices, unless you know what you are looking for you may find it
difficult to pick from the choices that are available. Even the basic African Cloth that the African
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clothing is made from is available in many different designs, patterns and colors. Traditional
African cloth may feature bright colors and geometric patterns. There is also cloth which is
colored using traditional Indigo dye and created using delicate floral patterns.Traditional African
Fabric was always hand-made and many cultures are still producing African fabrics by passing
down techniques, patterns and colors that date back thousands of years. Some of these may have
changed after exposure to other cultures.
Often, men would do the weaving and women would be responsible for spinning and dying the
thread. Tradition also dictated that the different stages of fabric making had different spiritual or
religious significance. Aremu (2002) tried to fill gaps in existing literature on Yoruba cloth
weaving traditions by acknowledging Yoruba women as professional weavers on the broad
loom.
The actual manufacturing of the products is done by using a wax-resistant dyeing technique on
the fabric. Hot wax is used to draw the design on the material, which is then dipped in dye and
does not penetrate the material.They are not only well-designed, but are magnificent in color.
These are so outstanding that one has only to view someone wearing one of these items to
immediately know it is made of Dutch Wax Fabrics.
An African dress from this material, called African Print, is in great demand and worn by those
on the higher end of the society. The bold pattern, together with strikingly bright colors,
immediately catches the eye of viewers. Garments made from this material are creations of
beauty that make a lasting impression on the viewer.
Whether you want to find clothing for everyday wear or you are looking at putting together an
outfit for an important occasion such as a wedding, learning about this particular style of dress
17
and where to purchase authentic clothing items is important.No experience in the day to day
living practices is complete without the blessings of African Jewelry. Jewelry was a way to
project a positive attitude toward the creator and the life you live. Most often it was a direct
representation of their religious beliefs and the prophets of spiritualism.
There are several different types of African Fabric that is used to make African clothing. One of
the most common African Fabrics used to make traditional clothing is Aso oke fabric. This is
hand loomed and may have beautiful geometric patterns worked into the fabric. Throughout
Africa there is a continuing trend for locally woven traditional fabrics to be supervised by
modern factory made cloth preferred for its bright colours, wash ability and ease of tailoring into
western style. Gillow (2001)
Because it is hand loomed there are often variations in the patterns and no two pieces of fabric
will be exactly alike. Other well-known kinds of cloth include Kente cloth and Kitenge. There
are others which people may be familiar with depending on where in Africa they come from.
If you are getting married and are a woman, you may want to look at one of the African Wedding
Dresses, the Ariya, a four piece outfit that is flowing and beautiful. Men can find special African
wedding clothes as well.One traditional men’s wedding outfit is the Agbada. It is also very
comfortable and is made up of a very long shirt, trousers and a robe which is worn over the shirt.
This outfit is finished off with a hat or head covering. Again, African Outfits are available in Aso
oke or other traditional African textiles and are available in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
You may also be interested in finding ways to combine traditional African clothing pieces with
Western style clothes. You may want to think about having a shirt or a jacket made out of
18
traditional fabrics that can look great when worn with Western style trousers or skirts. A head
wrapping is also a fantastic way to pay tribute to tradition.
2.0.2 AFRICAN CLOTHES
Many people look at an outfit of traditional African clothes and may not realize the cultural
importance that they have. There is a lot of history that is woven into garments made of
traditional African textiles and the styles reflect thousands of years of cultural changes and the
influence that other cultures have had on many different African tribes throughout the continent.
Many people have seen the cloth that African clothes are made of. Traditionally, the fabric is
usually very brightly colored and is a form of wearable art. The patterns and colors vary from
one region to another and the techniques for spinning thread and weaving the fabric are handed
down from generation to generation. Often women would be responsible for spinning thread and
in many cultures it was actually the men that did the weaving of the fabric.
There are several different types of fabric that is used to make traditional African clothing. They
include Aso oke fabric and Adire fabric both of which are made by the Yoruba people of
Nigeria. Aso oke is the fabric and Adire refers to a tie dye process that is used to create patterns
in the woven cloth. Other types of African textiles include Kente cloth, which is made by the
Akan ethnic group, Barkcloth, Mudcloth, Kanga and Kitenge. In contrast Yoruba aso oke
weaving on the narrow-strip loom is without doubt one of the most vibrant and successful textile
traditions in Africa today. Renne (2002).
Today aso oke is more popular than ever among the growing numbers of Yoruba in Nigeria and
is also widely used by other Nigerians and in nearby countries such as Ghana and Togo. Since
the 1960s increasing numbers of women have taken up aso ke weaving. Clarke(2003)
19
African clothes are usually loose fitting and very comfortable. An outfit may vary from region to
region. In some areas, a long robe or dress may be worn by both men and women. They may also
be influenced by the cultures from other countries which surround an area where a piece of
clothing comes from. Full African outfits normally also include a head wrap or hat that varies
from region to region.
If you are interested in purchasing African clothes, there are a number of different websites and
stores that you can shop in. Online stores can be good because you have a larger selection of
clothing patterns, styles and colors to choose from. You should decide whether you want to
choose an outfit because of your own cultural heritage or whether you want to pick based on a
style that you like.
2.0.3 AFRICAN DRESS
African Dress is clothing created by the African people who honor through celebration and grief.
Ceremonies are the back bone of African traditions and the people live their lives by them.
Ceremonies have interactions with dance, chanting, storytelling and a number of other activities
to bond the people. They are honoring their history and a future that holds promise in harmony.
In the beginning stages of their evolution of clothing the Africans looked to the natural elements
of their land. Their clothing primarily came from the food they ate. Nothing was left to waste and
waste was deemed a curse to their creator. They utilized every piece of what they acquired and
came to develop a quick understanding of how to define the multiple uses each item.
Eco friendly materials like bark and others plants were their first experience with the concept of
material. However, the raw form proved to be too hard and needed to be pounded to make it
20
flexible and pliable. Once softened the materials could be sewn together to make full garments of
clothing. Eventually the desire for color led to the experiment of dying.
Ceremonies are a time to connect with the spirit of life and ancestors through offerings. Some of
those offerings are things like dance, chanting and storytelling. In short the offering is the unity
of a people sharing life – the same breathe. Other reasons to celebrate are weddings, new births
and rights of passage; symbolizing the closing of one chapter and a beginning of another.
The leader of a tribe is expected to present a position of authority and wealth. While custom suits
are appropriate costumes for some; the appropriate appeal within an African tribes is a massive
headdress adorned with feathers and shells or a crown. The rest of the attire would be vibrant and
shocking. A spear and a shield are like pieces of jewelry used to solidify the attire.
It is common place for African to incorporate jewelry into their daily dress. Jewelry represent
their religious belief system or their connection to the spiritual realm. Feathers, shells and cloth
are crafted into pieces of jewelry. It is an unspoken expectation and allows for an informal
introduction into the lives of the people that surround you.
African infused clothing is a worldwide phenomenon that can be found in a variety of places
within the world. Its universal appeal has made its way into main stream society and can be
experienced in the design concepts of the most famous designers. Run way models appear to be
happy to embrace the vibrancy of its signature appeal. Pop culture, traditional and a number of
other fashion genres welcome the worldly appeal offered by the efforts of the African culture.
21
2.0.4 ANKARA
It was the fabric that the poor embraced while the rich bought clothes off the hanger in shops. It
was also the dresses made with Ankara and its related sister like ‘adire’ that people wore to
lowly parties. It was also the fabric reserved for cultural festivities that did not come near a red
carpet event. It was the fabric that people felt were too flowery, too busy and sometimes too
colorful. It was the fabric that ran when washed and didn’t look anything glamorous. If anything,
it was the fabric that was not only indigenous but considered local to be taken serious. That was
a couple of years ago. All that has changed as our designers through a dint of hard work and
persistence in spite of rejection put Ankara on Nigeria catwalk. Today, like the biblical rejected
stone, the Ankara has become the cornerstone of fashion. The bright colors which was once a
reason for rejection is now our strong point. Today, Africans are identified with brightness,
vivacity, fun and life and these bright colors attest to that. With Ankara, there is no end to its
possibilities. Ankara today, not only graces catwalks across the continent but also many red
carpets. Some designers love it to the point of creating under wears from Ankara, and why not?
With all this information, we can only realize that there are way too many reasons why we love
the ‘Ankara Fabric’. But seriously, why do you? The year 2009 has seen the Ankara reach some
of it’s greatest, showcasing at Vlisco Urban Beat, The African Collective in New York Fashion
Week & even British Vogue Magazine getting in on the trend.Check back soon, for images of
these events.
Adegoke ‘Zoe’ Olubusi. Online 2009
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2.1 AFRICAN BATIK ART
The art of batik or wax painting is an ancient craft and technique used in Africa and many East
Asian countries for decorating fabrics. The batik images or effects are achieved through the
principle of wax and water repelling each other, called resists dyeing. The artistic expression of
working with melted wax on dyes is similar to that of painting with watercolor, oils or acrylics
and the designs can be as complicated or simple as the artist's desire. Since batik is a method of
painting "negative space", the artist has to envision the complete design in-between shapes and
figures when deciding where to apply the next color and the next application of wax.
Wax is painted on to the fabric and the color is filled into the fabric between the wax. The most
popular ways of applying wax are either by painting it on with a brush or by pouring the liquid
wax on the cloth. With a series of dyeing, drying and waxing steps the individual colors of the
batik are applied.After the last dyeing, the fabric is hung up to dry. Then it is ironed between
paper towels or newspaper to absorb the wax and reveal the vibrant colors and fine crinkle lines
that give the batik its character. African batiks are unique pieces of art handcrafted by talented
artisans. If you like to decorate with textiles or showing off your love for unique fabrics, then
African batiks are definitely for you. From home decor to quilting and other crafts, batiks will
enhance any project with true African flair. Frame batik, transform a batik into a wall hanging by
simply stretching it with bamboo poles, make a pillow case out of batiks, decorate a handbag,
make a lamp shade or incorporate a batik into your quilting project.
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2.1.1 TIE-DYE
Tie-dye is a process of resist dyeing textiles or clothing which is made from knit or woven fabric,
usually cotton; typically using bright colors. It is a modern version of traditional dyeing methods
used in many cultures throughout the world. "Tie-dye" can also describe the resulting pattern or
an item which features this pattern. Tie-dyeing became fashionable in the West in the late 1960s
and early 1970s as part of hippie style. It was popularized in the United States by musicians such
as John Sebastian, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead and Joe Cocker.
Tie-dyeing is accomplished by folding the material into a pattern, and binding it with string or
rubber bands. Dye is then applied to only parts of the material. The ties prevent the entire
material from being dyed. Designs are formed by applying different colors of dyes to different
sections of the wet fabric. A wet t-shirt is much easier to use rather than just dyeing on a dry tshirt. Once complete, the material is rinsed, and the dye is set.
Traditional resist pattern technique
indigo dye was first used on hand spun cotton threads which was woven into cloth.the traditional
dyers used different patterns which they incorporated onto their fabrics and the main traditional
resist techniques using indigo plant. It include adire oniko, adire alabere and adire eleso.
Traditional dyers also make use of cassava starch as a resist agent on fabric. Ogundiyile (1997)
Traditional fauna and floral motifs which are noticed in adire eleko,alabere designs were deeply
rooted in Yoruba culture.Each brand of cloth designed traditionally has its trade names. These
names were derived from the methods of dyeing or designing. Bankole (1993)
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2.1.2 DYES
Although many different kinds of dyes may be used, most tie-dyers now dye with Procion MX
fiber reactive dyes. This class of dyes works at warm room temperatures; the molecules
permanently bind with cellulose based fibers (cotton, rayon, hemp, linen), as well as silk, when
the pH is raised. Soda ash (sodium carbonate) is generally used to raise the pH and is either
added directly to the dye, or in a solution of water in which garments are soaked before dyeing.
They do not fade with washing, but sunlight will cause the colors to fade over time. Place in the
freezer to hold over time.
2.1.3 TRADITIONAL TIE AND DYE
The earliest surviving examples of pre-Columbian tie-dye in Peru date from 500 to 800A.D.
Their designs include small circles and lines, with bright colors including red, yellow, blue, and
green.
Shibori includes a form of tie-dye that originated in Japan. It has been practiced there since at
least the eighth century. Shibori includes a number of labor-intensive resist techniques including
stitching elaborate patterns and tightly gathering the stitching before dyeing, forming intricate
designs for kimonos. Another shibori method is to wrap the fabric around a core of rope, wood
or other material, and bind it tightly with string or thread. The areas of the fabric that are against
the core or under the binding would remain untied.
Tie-dye techniques have also been used for centuries in the Hausa region of West Africa, with
renowned indigo dye pits located in and around Kano, Nigeria. The tie-dyed clothing is then
richly embroidered in traditional patterns. It has been argued that the Hausa techniques were the
inspiration for the hippie fashion.
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Plangi and tritik are Indonesian words, derived from javanese words, for methods related to tiedye, and bandhna is a term from India, giving rise to the Bandhani fabrics of Rajasthan. Ikat is a
method of tie-dyeing the warp or weft before the cloth is woven.
Tie-dyeing was known in the US by 1909. Later in the 20th Century, tie-dye became associated
with the Hippie movement.
2.1.4 MUDMEE TIE-DYE
Mudmee tie-dye is mainly created in Thailand and neighboring part of Laos. It uses different
shapes and colors than other types of tie-dye, and the colors are, in general, more subdued.
Another difference is that base color is black.
Below is a list of common modern tie-dyeing folds and patterns.
Spiral
Spiral patterns are created by gathering a small section, usually with a clothes pin or a kitchen
fork, in the middle of the fabric and slowly rotating the piece creating pleats of fabric arranged in
swirls around a central point. It is then gathered into a flat round bundle and the different wedges
of the circular bundle are usually dyed different colors to create a greater spiral effect.
V
The 'V' shape is achieved by folding a shirt in half vertically, then a line is drawn diagonally
from the shoulder area down to the center fold of the shirt. The fabric is then accordingly folded
along the line and bound into one or more areas to which the dye is applied. This will show in
the shape of a 'V'.
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Random
This category can hold several different patterns, the majority of which have nothing to do with
each other; they can be combinations or they can be as chaotic as bundling the item to be dyed.
Random circles
This effect is made by tying knots with string or elastic bands in different places. The more
fabric that is tied, the larger the circles.
Peace Signs
The Peace Sign can be made by folding a t-shirt in half, drawing a half circle, then the center line
and arm of the peace sign. The shirt is folded along the lines and tied using rubber bands. The
dye is applied to form the outline of the peace sign then a lighter color is used to fill in the colors.
2.2 Popular culture
Buba
A buba (pronounced boo-bah) is a woman's blouse. Buba is a Yoruba word that means blouse.
The buba can be worn informally with pants or a fancy print wrapper. When worn as formal
wear, the buba is paired with a skirt or wrapper made of formal fabrics. The informal dashiki, or
men's shirt, is unisex and is also worn by women. The dashiki and buba differ in that the dashiki
is boxy and baggy with a straight bottom, whereas, the buba is fitted with a curved bottom, or
baggy with a V shaped bottom. Like the dashiki, the buba comes in long, and short sleeve
versions. The buba and skirt set or buba and wrapper set is the national costume of many West
African countries.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrapper_(clothing)
2.2.1 Stripweave
Strip weave is a textile technique in which large numbers of thin strips of cloth are sewn together
to produce a finished fabric. Most strip weave is produced in West Africa from hand-woven
fabric, of which the example best known internationally is the kente cloth of Ghana. The earliest
evidence of this traditional technique dates to the eleventh century among the Tellem people of
Mali.
2.2.2 Materials
Cotton, silk, and rayon are the usual fibers for stripweave garment production. Traditionally
these were hand spun, although machine spun synthetics are coming into increasing use. Wool is
also in use for stripweave blankets by the Fulani people in Mali.
2.2.3 Kente cloth
Kente cloth, known locally as nwentoma, is a type of silk fabric made of interwoven cloth strips
and is native to the Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Kente cloth has its origin with the
Akan people. It is a royal and sacred cloth worn only in times of extreme importance. Kente was
the cloth of kings. Over time, the use of kente became more widespread, however its importance
has remained and it is held in high esteem in the Akan family and the entire country of Ghana.
In Ghana, kente is made by the Akan people (including the Asante, Bono, Fante and Nzema).
Kente is also produced by Akan groups in Cote d'Ivoire, like the Baoule and Anyin, who trace
their ancestry back to Ghana before the rise of the Ashanti Empire. Lastly, Kente is worn by
other groups like the Ewe and Ga who have been influenced by Akans. It is the best known of all
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African textiles. Kente comes from the word kenten, which means "basket." The Akan peoples
refer to kente as Nwentoma or "woven cloth".
The icon of African cultural heritage around the world, Asante kente is identified by its dazzling,
multicolored patterns of bright colors, geometric shapes and bold designs. Kente characterized
by weft designs woven into every available block of plain weave is called adweneasa. The
Asante peoples of Ghana choose kente cloths as much for their names as their colors and
patterns. Although the cloths are identified primarily by the patterns found in the lengthwise
(warp) threads, there is often little correlation between appearance and name. Names are derived
from several sources, including proverbs, historical events, important chiefs, queen mothers, and
plants.
Symbolic meanings of the colors in Kente cloth
* black—maturation, intensified spiritual energy
* blue—peacefulness, harmony and love
* green—vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal
* gold—royalty, wealth, high status, glory, spiritual purity
* grey—healing and cleansing rituals; associated with ash
* maroon—the color of mother earth; associated with healing
* pink—associated with the female essence of life; a mild, gentle aspect of red
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* purple—assoc. with feminine aspects of life; usually worn by women
* red—political and spiritual moods; bloodshed; sacrificial rites and death.
* silver—serenity, purity, joy; assoc. with the moon
* white—purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions
* yellow—preciousness, royalty, wealth, fertility
2.3 Traditions
A variety of kente patterns have been invented, each of which has a certain concept or concepts
traditionally associated with it. For example, the Obaakofoo Mmu Man pattern symbolizes
democratic rule; Emaa Da, novel creativity and knowledge from experience; and Sika Fre
Mogya, responsibility to share monetary success with one's relations.
Legend has it that kente was first made by two friends who went hunting in a forest and found a
spider making its web. The friends stood and watched the spider for two days then returned
home and implemented what they had seen. West Africa has had a cloth weaving culture for
centuries via the Stripweave method but, Akan history tells of the cloth being created
independent of outsider influence.
2.3.1 Origin
The origin of Kente is debatable but, the fact that it is worn by Akans in both Ivory Coast and
Ghana and, no non Akan Ethnic group is known to have influenced Akans as far as the Ivory
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Coast, the origin is generally agreed to be from the Akan people whose culture has influenced
many modern countries in West Africa
2.3.2 Kanga (African garment)
The kanga which comes from the old Bantu (Kiswahili) verb ku-kanga to wrap or close, is a
colourful garment similar to kitenge, worn by women and occasionally by men throughout
Eastern Africa. It is a piece of printed cotton fabric, about 1.5m by 1m, often with a border along
all four sides (called pindo in Swahili), and a central part (mji) which differs in design from the
borders. Khangas are usually very colorful.
2.3.4 Origins
Khangas have for as long as is known been a traditional type of dress amongst women in
central/east Africa. In the East African countries phrases in Kiswahili are traditional, while in
Central Africa phrases in both Kiswahili and Lingala are popular.
2.3.5 Communication vehicle
One of the longer edges of the mji features a strip which contains a message in Swahili, or less
commonly in Arabic or Comorian. Other countries which produce their own Kangas write the
Kanga messages/names in their main languages: in Madagascar (Malagasy Republic) where they
are known as lambas, they feature ohabolana, traditional proverbs written in Malagasy; they are
also produced in Zambia and Malawi.
http://www.erieartmuseum.org/exhibits/exhibits2008/kanga/documents/Translations.pdf.
Retrieved 18 December 2009.
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2.4 AFRICAN TEXTILES
The earliest surviving sub-Saharan African textiles are cloth fragments and parchment fragments
that date to the ninth century BCE from sites at Igbo Ukwu of the Igbo people of Nigeria. Some
twelfth century cloth fragments date from the Tellem caves in Mali. Surviving thirteenth century
samples originate from Benin City and Nigeria.
African textiles are a part of African cultural heritage that came to America along with the slave
trade. As many slaves were skilled in the weaving, this skill was used as another form of income
for the slave owner. African textile producers welcomed selected materials, techniques and ideas
from overseas while the visual acuity of the African consumer was acknowledged and taken well
into account by European merchants and manufacturers. Kriger (2006).
In most of Africa the weavers were men while the women spun the thread. The weavers in many
of the countries were part of a caste-like group and sometimes slaves to noble families. In
Yoruba compounds were used where master weavers would teach all the boys weaving and all
the girls would learn to spin and dye the yarn.
Some examples of African textiles are:
* Aso oke fabric - woven by Yoruba people
* Adire- tie-dye produced by Yoruba people
* Kente cloth - woven by Ashanti and Ewe people
* Barkcloth - produced by the Buganda tribe
* Mudcloth- produced by the Bambara tribe
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* Kitenge - produced in Kenya and other regions of East Africa
2.4.1Cultural Significance
Weaving has many spiritual and mythical meaning behind it. One, is that from the Dogons who
believe that each stage of spinning and weaving thread is a symbolic analogy to human
reproduction and resurrection. With this, they believe that the processes of spinning and weaving
could only be done in daylight hours. To work at night would be to weave silence and darkness
into the cloth. The color of the cloth can also have some spiritual meaning. In one tribe a white
cloth used by healing women is thought to be linked to water spirits. Although there are many
meanings to the designs on the cloth very few are directly represented on the cloth itself.
Textiles were also used as a form of identity with each tribe having their own unique patterns
which also made it easy to spot outsiders. Many different types of patterns were formed in places
that specialized in weaving. Kings would request several types of cloth to show their prestige and
importance. Kings would even compare themselves by how many robes they had and what they
were made out of.
Weaving and the textiles were and still are very important to the African culture. The textiles
included both men and women and the cloth they made was unique to their tribe through the
patterns and spiritual meanings behind them.
2.5 URBAN TRENDS IN AFRICAN FASHION
Luckily African influenced fashion has found a permanent home in our lifestyles not just in the
U.S. market but globally, especially in the apparel market. Although the tough economy is
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affecting the fashion industry in all countries including Africa, the push for recognition as a
fashion leader is still going strong, culminating in the first African Fashion Week.
The Sanlana Africa Fashion Week was a success with many celebrities attending, back stage
interviews galore, non-stop press, Fashion TV recording…..sound familiar? This fuels the fire
for more African fashions to hit the urban cities and inspire urban looks now and onward.
Urban trends are unique but we can always see a nod to African looks which complements both
African and city urban cultures. The Urban community has always embraced African trends, this
remains true today. Multi gold bangles, intricately carved wooden bracelets, multi-chain
necklaces, oversized hoop earrings, exotic hair braiding, urban beauty salons, graphic T-shirts
that represent the culture and more.
Influence is also seen in the beautiful fabric prints in rich colors and tones associated with Africa
such as the famous “dashiki” with it’s elaborate embroidery and extraordinary colors which was
popular in the 60's and remains still today. Turbans of all sizes, prints and shapes exist and many
hats are fashioned after this look. The richly patterned kente cloth which dates back to the 12th
century can be seen at today’s weddings, in mens accessories, scarves, ties and more. The mudd
cloth and batik prints continue to be part of some of the worlds most famous silk, linen and
cotton textile mills.
Fashion influence has been a two-way street. While we can find evidence of African inspired
fashion in the U.S., it appears Africa takes cues from the runway shows held in U.S., Italy, Paris,
Germany etc.. African influenced patterns sell at high ticket prices in designer boutiques and
major department stores around the world. We all know how popular the giraffe print handbags
were from Dooney & Bourke 1 1/2 years ago- I have one!!! So popular was this print it carried
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over into the next season, used by designer for dresses, sweater sets, funky trench coats, boots
and hats. Same holds true for the zebra print that was seen everywhere.
Urban and African influence doesn’t end with fashion. Take a look at what interior designers are
offering for the home. African inspired decor is offered in the urban community and globally
from Macys, Bloomingdales, Horchow, Crate & Barrel.
Let’s not forget the beautiful African Models such as Iman and Alek who found fame in the U.S.,
graced magazine covers, and have become icons with their own clothing, cosmetics and
accsseory lines in the fashion industry.
Lastly, African-owned fashion boutiques as well as beauty salons operating in urban
communities and the internet allow consumers to have daily close connection with the “mother
land” inspiration and current trends. Merchants who have brick-and-mortar as well as ecommerce businesses anchored in local communities enhance the connection between the city
consumer and African Fashion Trends. This connection enables the African fashion influence to
expand and thrive in our communities and internet, while enriching the apparel industry both in
the U.S. and globally.
We’re all connected to fashion. We all influence each other and drive trends to new directions.
We share in the fight for market share, brand recognition, retail success, consumer loyalty and
consistent growth.
Face it, the world is one big extended family related to fashion and each one is trying to be the
favorite cousin!!! We’re so spoiled!!!! But talented too!!!
Angela L. Serrette. Africa’s Fashion Influence and Urban Trends. Online: May 3, 2009
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2.5.5 Africa, sub-Saharan: history of dress
African dress, like dress everywhere, communicates age, gender, occupation, ethnicity, power,
and religious commitment for everyday, celebratory, ceremonial, and ritual occasions. Along
with fashionable Western dress, Africans wear Islamic and indigenous apparel. Dress involves
totally or partially covering the body by supplementing it with apparel and accessories such as
head wraps and jewelry and modifying the body itself with tattoos or piercing. Dressing well for
Africans involves proper conduct and elegant style, which includes appropriate apparel,
cosmetics, and coiffure along with magnificent carriage, graceful movement, fastidious toilette,
and immaculate garments.
African dress worn every day indicates socially significant categories, but may also express
personal idiosyncrasy. When Africans wear identical dress, such as uniforms or garments made
from the same fabric, their garb emphasizes group affiliation and minimizes individuality.
African dress is not the same as African costume. Actors and masqueraders temporarily conceal
personal identity through costume, whereas in everyday life people communicate and reveal their
personal identity through dress.
African dress is as varied and diverse as the historical antecedents and cultural backgrounds of
the African people in fifty-five countries and more than eight hundred linguistic groups. A
continent two-and-a-half times as large as the continental United States, the physical
environment of Africa ranges from the deserts of the Sahara and the Kalahari, to the mountains
of the Great Rift Valley, and the rain forests in West and Central Africa, as well as the arid
region of the Sahel that borders the Sahara. What African people wear relates to these factors of
physical environment, to external and internal trade and migration, to the influences of explorers,
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missionaries, and travelers and to their own creativity. Specific information about the dress of
each ethnic group comes from social, religious, and political histories, as well as oral,
archaeological, trade, and mercantile records. Early evidence of dress is depicted in the rock art
of northern, southern, and eastern Africa, indicating items of dress that predate contact with
European, Asian, and Middle Eastern peoples. Tellem caves in Mali provide cloth fragments that
give evidence of hand woven apparel before Saharan trade or coastal contacts.
In the twenty-first century, dress in Africa includes items fashioned from local resources and
tools, such as wrappers hand woven from handspun cotton threads on handmade looms in the
West African countries of Sierra Leone, Mali, and Nigeria. In addition, combinations of local
resources and imported materials are used, as seen in the kente wrappers woven from imported
rayon or silk threads on locally made looms in Ghana. African dress also includes imported items
from worldwide sources made by complex machines and techniques (British top hats and
homburgs, French designer gowns, Italian shoes and handbags, and Swiss laces along with
secondhand clothing from the United States) from commercially produced materials.
2.5.2 Dressing the upper body
The torso is usually the focus when dressing the body, although headwear and footwear are also
significant. Items of dress generally may be classified as enclosing, attached, or hand held.
Enclosing dress can be subdivided into wraparound, preshaped, and suspended categories; all
examples are found in Africa. Wraparound garments are formed from rectangular pieces of
fabric that are folded, crushed, or twisted around the body. Preshaped items include cut and sewn
garments along with other items, such as jewelry, that are molded or cast. Most attached and
many suspended enclosing items of dress are also jewelry, such as earrings and necklaces.
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Handheld items usually consist of accessories such as a fan, purse, cane, or walking stick.
Throughout Africa, both men and women wear variations of the wrapper (also called kanga, futa,
lappa, or pagne). As a garment, the loose fit of wraparound apparel seems particularly
appropriate and comfortable to wear because of prevalent high temperatures, both dry and
humid. Wrappers are also easily made from available materials such as skins, bark (or bark
cloth), or wool, cotton, silk, and raffia for hand-woven cloth. Pre-shaped garments for men and
women in general came from contact with Europeans and Middle Easterners, as women adopted
dresses and gowns and men adopted jackets, shirts, and trousers as clothing styles. African
women and girls rarely wore pants or other bifurcated garments until jeans and pants became
fashionable for women in Europe, America, and Japan, thus beginning an influence on young
African women especially to adopt these styles for many occasions.
The wrapper, however, is probably the most frequent and popular indigenous garment in subSaharan Africa. Women may wrap cloth from their waist to their knees, calves, or feet.
Sometimes they wrap the cloth under the armpits to cover their breasts and lower body. Men
ordinarily wrap a small length of cloth from their waist to their feet, with the chest either bare or
covered. For both men and women in the twenty-first century, a bare chest is not frequently seen
in public, but remains an option for dressing informally at home. Non-Muslim Africans were
influenced by European ideas of modesty after many countries became independent in the 1960s,
because they discovered that journalists and outsiders commented negatively on African
“nudity,” usually referring to bare-breasted women. In fact, some Nigerian municipalities passed
laws at that time specifically forbidding women to enter the town if they were bare-breasted.
Examples of wraparound garments abound. In Ghana, Asante men wear handwoven kente togas;
in Ethiopia, Amharic women don handwoven shawls of sheer, white cotton; in Nigeria, Yoruba
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women garb themselves in indigo resist-dyed wrappers; in Zaire, the Kuba dress in raffia skirts.
Other examples include several from southern Africa: Ndebele and Xhosa women wrap
commercially made blankets around themselves, and Zulu men wrap skin aprons. Both sexes
among the Baganda in Uganda traditionally wore bark-cloth wrappers, as did the Masai of Kenya
and Somalis from the Horn of Africa; some continue the practice today. Masai warriors,
depending on their geographical location, wear a wrapper that is either below the knee or very
short, sometimes wrapping it around the waist and at other times wrapping it across one
shoulder. Those warriors wearing short wrappers are said to choose that style to show off their
handsome bodies. Masai women wear a skirt or cloth wrapped around their waist as well as a
blanket or cloth wrapped over their shoulders. Somali people wore leather garments of their own
making before the 1800s, but imported cotton textiles quickly made inroads and included several
options of wrapping the body for both men and women, depending on the occasion and the
weather.
For festive, ritual, or ceremonial occasions, Ghanaian men wear a well-known example of an
African wraparound garment similar to the Roman toga. They take a large rectangle of cloth,
sometimes as large as six yards square, depending on the size of the man, and wrap it full-length
around the body with one shoulder uncovered. This style became internationally visible in the
1960s when the first president of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, wore it and was photographed in it
for ceremonial occasions, both at home and abroad.
Preshaped dress involves cutting and sewing lengths of cloth to make a garment fit the body.
Common styles are shirts, blouses, robes, and pants, or the Hausa man’s baba riga (big gown).
Cross-cultural contacts influenced the design of many preshaped garments. The colonial impact
and trade contacts of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are seen in several
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women’s gowns. For example, the long gown (called boubou) made popular by Wolof women in
Senegal indicates probable Muslim and Middle Eastern origins, whereas the gowns of Herero
women in Namibia, Efik women in Nigeria, and the “granny” gown of women in Egypt show
nineteenth-century European contact. Men’s trouser shapes vary considerably. Along with
Western fashions found across the continent, indigenous fashions also abound. In Nigeria, Hausa
men wear enormously large drawstring breeches with a “baba riga” over the top. Yoruba men
wear both wide or narrow trousers, often as a three-piece outfit along with a robe (agbada) and
shirt (dansiki). When the men’s ensemble is tailored from colorful, wax-printed cotton, the
Yoruba outfit is interpreted as being informal. If made from damask, lace, eyelet, brocade, or the
handwoven textile of nubby, native silk that the Yoruba call sanyan (produced by a different silk
worm than the Asian one), the ensemble is considered formal.
Throughout Africa, males wear preshaped shirts and hip-length or calf-length garments with
trousers or wrappers. Finishing and decorating details distinguish many of the garments as being
associated with one ethnic group or another. In the Republic of Benin, Fon men’s ensembles
include a heavily embroidered, sleeveless tunic pleated at the neckline and flared at the hipline
that they combine with embroidered trousers and an embroidered cap. In Cote d’Ivoire and
Ghana, Mandinka and Akan men wear garments known as war shirts and hunters’ shirts.
Amulets decorate these garments and are made of animal horns, claws, teeth, or packets that
contain slips of paper with magical or mystical words written on them.
Enclosing garments include suspended and combination forms. Some hats are suspended by
being perched on top of the head and many items of jewelry are suspended around the neck or
wrist. Capes (often worn by Hausa and Fulani emirs and other royalty) are combination forms.
Preshaped and stitched, they are also loosely suspended from the shoulders.
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Items held by or for a person complete an African ensemble. As accessory items, these include
umbrellas, canes, walking sticks, purses, handbags, fans, switches, handkerchiefs, linguist staffs,
and tusks, as well as weapons such as daggers, swords, and spears. Many materials are used for
these items. An individual carries an umbrella for protection from rain or as a substitute for a
cane. Attendants for a ruler carry large, decorative, and colorful umbrellas to emphasize the
ruler’s position and significance, for a ruler should not be so encumbered. Canes and walking
sticks are made of wood, ivory, or plastic; fans, of paper, leather, hide, or feathers. Fashionable
handbags are commercially manufactured; some are produced domestically while others are
imported. When wearing an indigenous ensemble, an individual often carries a bag crafted from
indigenous materials, such as domestically produced leather that is also dyed, painted, or
decorated with beads. An ivory elephant’s tusk held by an important individual indicates high
status and wealth.
Many types of body modifications and jewelry also dress the torso. Tattooing occurs among
light-skinned people, like the North African Berbers, because tattoos do not show on dark skin.
Instead, permanent markings in the form of scarification and cicatrization or temporary
cosmetics (ochre, kaolin, indigo, henna, and chalk) decorate dark-skinned bodies. Many
permanent-marking procedures began to die out in the twentieth century as Africans became
exposed to Western cosmetic and body decoration practices, and interest grew in looking
“modern.” Cosmetics familiar to Westerners are easily available throughout Africa, although not
always worn or used plentifully. Again, the issue relates to varieties of skin color, for lipstick and
blush are not as visible on dark complexions as on light-colored ones. Similarly, henna— a
common cosmetic in North Africa and the Middle East—is not used by Africans with darker
skin, although it is sometimes used on the palms and bottom of the feet, which are lighter parts of
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the body. Both men and women wear scented products, but frequently, African men wear
stronger scents than found among most European and American men. European perfumes and
scents can be purchased throughout Africa, but prohibitive prices preclude wide usage. Instead,
indigenous products are available and used, as in the case of Muslim women who stand over
incense burners to scent their clothing with the fragrant smoke.
Africans display many kinds of jewelry. Items for the torso include necklaces, armlets, bracelets,
and anklets of many types, along with items that circle the waist, such as “waist beads.”
Necklaces vary in size and style, from large to small, fashioned from metals, beads, shells,
chains, and medallions. Some bracelets and anklets are modest in size, circling only the wrist and
ankle with metal or beads. Others are massive, used to adorn the lower arm, upper arm, or lower
leg with coils of copper or chunks of ivory. Materials used for body ornaments include gold,
silver, brass, copper, ivory, natural stones like jasper, coral, and amber, and many cowrie shells
(which often decorate garments as well). Both imported and locally produced glass beads exist
throughout Africa. Italy, Austria, and Germany historically exported glass beads to all areas of
Africa, and artisans in towns (Bida, Nigeria, for example) produce glass beads from recycled
beverage bottles. Both Masai men and women wear necklaces of imported, colorful beads that
that look like wide collars and rest on the back of the neck. Some Masai children wear miniature
examples of these beaded necklaces as well as beaded bracelets and anklets. Small disk shapes
cut from ostrich shells or celluloid are used for waist beads worn by women and girls in West
Africa. These beads are decorative and also sexually attractive in intimate situations. Some make
sounds that attract attention when the individual moves.
Color, texture, or fabric motif distinguishes the dress of different peoples. All types of textiles
exist from imported natural and synthetic yarns along with domestic ones of cotton, wool, silk,
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and synthetics. Favorite fabrics include plain broadcloth, lace, eyelet, damask, brocade, and
velvet. Suppliers are generally located in Africa, but import sources include the United Kingdom
and such European countries as the Netherlands and Switzerland. Asian sources include Japan,
China, and India, where manufacturers cater to African preferences for specific textile motifs and
colors. Fashions in material, design, and color change over time, but preferences for muted and
somber colors can often be found in some countries, bright and saturated colors in others, and
dazzling whites or pastels in still others. A printed textile used for wrappers in Tanzania and
Kenya known as kanga, domestically produced in the early 2000s, has a distinct pattern.
Ordinarily, the colors are bright green, yellow, orange, and red. The cloth is printed in repeat
motifs that include a motto or saying. These written messages communicate political or social
points of view. Somali men and women have used imported cloth for their wrappers for many
years. Records from the nineteenth century indicate that one type, an inexpensive white cotton,
was called merikani because it was imported from the United States. Another imported blue
fabric worn during the same period, came from the Indian city of Surat to be used by married
women as a head wrap.
Identical textiles worn for special events by a large number of people are popular in various
locations. An entire community or special group may honor significant people (usually political)
by having their portrait screen-printed on a commercially manufactured textile or T-shirt. Other
times, members of the group select a special color or pattern of either hand-woven or commercial
cloth to wear. The custom of wearing identical cloth is known as aso ebi (family dress) and aso
egbe (association dress) among the Yoruba of Nigeria, where it apparently began. Other groups,
the Ibo of Nigeria, for example, have adopted the custom and call their identical dress
“uniforms.” Techniques to decorate garments include embroidery, beading, and appliqué.
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Various robes worn by men throughout West Africa are heavily embroidered; simpler
embroidery is seen on some of the contemporary gowns worn by women, caftans or boubous,
especially those being made for the tourist market in the early twenty-first century. Beading is
found on robes of some royalty; sequins and beads decorate women’s blouses, for example
among the Yoruba and Kalabari-Ijo. Appliqué is often used for ceremonial attire, masquerade
garb, and trappings for horses.
2.6 Headwear
Children and youth wear headgear less often than adults do. Men’s headwear includes caps, hats,
and turbans and in some areas exhibits greater variety in type than the head wraps (often called
head ties) and other headwear of women. This may be related to a wider range of available
positions in political and religious systems for men than women, such as chieftaincies and
priesthoods. Men’s headwear includes many types of caps and hats from handwoven and handembroidered fabrics but, especially since the arrival of Europeans, men wear many styles of
imported hats and caps. Opulent decorations for hats of high-status (often royal) men include
embroidery with metallic threads of gold and silver or precious gems or metals. In some areas,
men select an imported top hat, derby, or fedora as part of their dress ensemble, again indicating
high status, whether born into the position or achieved by being granted a local honor or reaching
a certain age. Veils and turbans may also be part of male dress. The wrapped white turban of a
Hausa man shows that he has been to Mecca. The shiny, deep indigo-dyed veils worn by Tuareg
males make them easily identifiable.
44
Kalabari chief. Beads, coral accessories, and elaborately ornamented headgear, such as the
ajibulu crown shown here, are often worn by sub-Saharian Africans of elevated social or political
status.
Adult females, particularly the Yoruba of Nigeria and Ndebele of Southern Africa, most often
wear cloth head ties wrapped in numerous shapes and styles. Fashion changes as well as
creativity and individual flair influence their head-tie arrangements. A highly desirable fabric for
women’s head ties in western Africa comes from a manufacturer in England, but women also
select hand-woven cloth to match their wrapper set. An example of fashion change occurred
among Herero women, who used skins for headwear in the 1800s, but use cloth in the early
2000s. Muslim women throughout Africa employ several methods to cover their hair. Some cut
and sew cloth to preshape a head covering or suspend fabric to create a veil that reveals only
their eyes. Others loosely wrap fabric over their heads and tie or pin it under their chins. Some
veiling garments, such as the burqa, were once worn only by Arab women living in Africa but
have spread to other Muslim populations. Levin (2005) added that throughout Africa, Islamic
dress is infused with a sense of African vibrancy. Jewelry also decorates the hair and head for
men and women, including earrings, hair ornaments, and headbands using the same beads,
metals, precious and semiprecious gems, ivory, stones, fibers, and many natural materials to
fashion them. Imported items like buttons also provide decoration.
In conclusion African dress may consist of a single item or an ensemble and range from simple
to complex. Single items such as a hat, necklace, or waist beads contrast with the total ensemble
of an elaborate gown or robe worn with a head covering, jewelry, and accessories. A wrapper,
body paint, and uncomplicated hairdo exemplify a simple ensemble whereas a complex one
combines several richly decorated garments, an intricate coiffure, opulent jewelry, and other
45
items. Either single items or total ensembles may have an additive, cumulative character created
by clusters of beads or layers of cloth or jewelry. As an individual’s body moves, such clusters
and layers are necessary components of dress that provides ambient noise with the rustle of
fibers or fabrics and jingle of jewelry. A bulky body often indicates power and the importance of
the individual’s position, but slenderness is gaining popularity as young people travel to the West
or sees the Western media. Impressiveness through bulk can be achieved by layering garments
and jewelry or using heavy fabric. Examples are the elaborate robes of a ruler, such as the
Asantehene of the Asante people in Ghana. On top of his robes, he adds impressive amounts of
gold jewelry and presents himself in an ensemble expected by his subjects. Similarly, the
customers of a successful and powerful market woman expect her to wear an imposing wrapper
set, blouse, and head wrap. In many cases, middle-class and wealthy African men and women
enjoy a wardrobe of many types of dress, selecting from a variety of Western pieces of apparel or
from indigenous items. Such a wardrobe allows selection of an outfit to attend an ethnic funeral
or ceremonial event in their hometown as well as dress in current fashions from Europe and
America when traveling, studying abroad, or living or visiting in African cosmopolitan cities.
The wide range of color and style in African dress, headdress, and footwear reflects the reality
that covering and adorning the body is used to provide both aesthetic and social information
about an individual or a group. Aesthetically, individuals can manipulate color, texture, shape,
and proportion with great skill. An individual’s dress may express an individual’s personal
aesthetic interest or it may indicate membership in an ethnic, occupational, or religious group.
Similarly, an individual’s dress conveys social information because specific expectations exist
within groups for appropriate outfits for age, occupation, and group affiliation. Understanding
the dress of the people who live on the large African continent means realizing that many
46
complex factors contribute to choices that an African makes about what to wear at a particular
time. To appreciate fully or depict accurately the dress of an individual African or of a specific
African group of people, one needs to consult available social and historical records and
contemporary scholarly information as well as African newspapers, magazines, television, and
other media sources. David (2004).
47
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 STUDY AREA
The University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
The University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, (UNAAB) was established on January 8, 1988 by the
Federal Government when four Universities of Technology, earlier merged in 1984, were
demerged. This led to the creation of the first two Universities of Agriculture in Abeokuta and
Makurdi.
On the same date, Professor Nurudeen Olorun-Nimbe Adedipe was appointed the pioneer ViceChancellor of the University. Professor Adedipe assumed duty on January 28, 1988, the date
which has been adopted as the foundation day of the University.
Prior to the emergence of UNAAB, the Federal Government had established the Federal
University of Technology, Abeokuta (FUTAB) in 1983. Then, in 1984, it was merged with the
University of Lagos and had its name changed to the College of Science and Technology,
Abeokuta (COSTAB), before the demerger of January, 1988.
The University started off from the old Campus of Abeokuta Grammar School, Isale-Igbein near
the city centre. It completed its movement to its Permanent Site along Alabata Road in 1997, in
what has been termed the fastest pace of Permanent Site development in the history of Nigerian
University System.
At the initial stage, five Colleges were introduced in the University in October 1988 as follows:

College of Agricultural Management, Rural Development and Studies (COLAMRUCS)

College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM)
48

College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM)

College of Natural Sciences (COLNAS)

College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT)
Two additional Colleges, College of Engineering (COLENG) and College of Veterinary
Medicine (COLVET) were introduced in March, 2002. During 2008/2009 session, the College of
Agricultural Management, Rural Development and Consumer Studies was split into two with
two new Colleges emerging as follows:

College of Food Science and Human Ecology (COLFHEC)

College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD)
TARGET GROUP
This include the all the student in the college of food science and human ecology in the
university of agriculture, abeokuta.
3.2 POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The population of the study is 923students (252 male and 671 female) from the college of food
science and human ecology in the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
3.3 SAMPLE SIZE
A sample size 100 male students that is 40% of the student and 100 female students which is
15% of the female student from the college of food science and human ecology.
49
3.4 METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
The data was collected through the use of some samples of African made garment and well
structured questionnaires
3.5
METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS
The retrieved questionnaires was given to a statistician
50
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The research work on the assessment of undergraduates in using African fabrics in producing
garment was implemented in an attempt:
1.
To assess the perception of undergraduates about the use of African fabric in
producing garment.
2.
To identify the form in which African fabric are used in producing garment.
3.
To identify the qualities of African fabric that attracts people to them.
4.
To find out possible constraints to the age of African fabrics in producing garments.
Sex
Frequency
Percentage (%)
Male
100
50
Female
100
50
Table 1: Sex Distribution
Table 1 shows the sex distribution of the respondents 50% of the respondent are Nile while 50%
are Female.
51
Table 2: Age Distributions
Age range
Frequency
Percentage (%)
15-20
63
31.5
21-30
125
62.5
31-35
12
6
Table 2 shows the age distribution of the respondent majority (62.5%) of the respondent
are between age change of 21-30 years. 31.5 % of the respond are between age range of 15-20
years while 6% are between 31-35 years.
Table 3: Distribution of Some Styles of Garment liked by Respondents
Variables
Sex
Frequency
Percentage (%)
Sleeveless garment
F
62
62
Sleeveless shirt
M
30
30
Very low neckline
F
41
41
Off shoulder styles
F
42
42
One piece dress
F
61
61
Short sleeved style
F
72
72
52
M
59
59
F
32
32
M
47
47
Alarding pant
F
70
70
Free skirt
F
40
40
121
60.5
Long sleeved style
Multi coloured garment
High waist skirt
F
61
61
Senegal
M
60
60
Alarding skirt
F
59
59
Table 3 Short some style of garment like by respondent majority (62%) of the female
respondent like sleeveless garment while just (30 %) of the mile respondent like sleeveless shirt.
Just 41% of the female respondent like garment with very low kneeling. 42% of the female
respondent like off shoulder styles while majority (61%) of the female student like one-piece
dress. Majority (72%) of the female respondent like short sheered styles while 59% of the male
respondent like short sheered styles. minority (32%) of the female respondent while like long
sleeved styles while just 47% of the male respondent like long sleeved styles. Majority of the
female respondent like Alarding pant. Just 40% of the female respondents like free skirt.
Majority (60.5%) of the respondents (both male and female) like multi-colored garment.
53
Majority (61%) the female respondent like high waist skirts majority (60%) of the male
respondent like Senegal dress. 59% of the female respondent like a larding skirt.
Table 4: Styles in Figure
Variables
Frequency
Percentage (%)
Sleeveless garment
121
60.5
Very low neckline
101
50.5
Short sleeved style
112
56
Long sleeved style
93
46.5
Alading pant
138
69
Multi-coloured garment
142
71
High waist skirt
128
64
Senegal
131
65.5
Off shoulder
14
0.07
One piece dress
31
0.16
Free skirt
21
0.12
54
Table 4 shows the list of style in figure. Majority (60.5%) of the respondent listed
sleeveless shirt. 50.5% of the respondent listed very low neckline. 56% of the respondent listed
short-sleeved style. 46. 5% of the respondent listed long sleeved style. Majority (69%) of the
respondent listed alerting pant. High number (71%) of respondent listed multi-colored garment.
Majority of the respondents listed high waist skirt. Majority (65.5%) of the respondents listed
Senegal garment. Few (0.07%) of the respondents listed off shoulder style while just 0.16% of
the respondents listed one-piece dress. Few (0.12%) of the respondents listed free skirt.
Table 5: The Preferred Style in Figure
Variable
Sex
Frequency
Percentage (%)
Multi colour garment
F
50
50
High waist skirt
F
40
40
Very low neckline
F
10
Long sleeved shirt
M
31
31
Short sleeved shirt
M
42
42
Senegal
M
2
27
55
47
10
Tables 5 show the most preferred styles in rogue by the respondent. 50% of the female
respondent listed multi-colour garment. 40% of the female respondents listed high waist skirt
while just 10% listed very low neckline. 31% of the mile students listed long sleeved shirt, 42%
listed short-sleeved shirt while just 27% listed Senegal garment.
Table 6: African Fabrics Similar With
Variances
Frequency
Percentage (%)
Adire
181
90.5
Batik
123
61.5
Ankara
178
89
Woodin
130
65
George
112
56
Aso-oke
177
88.5
Table 6 show the African fabric that respondent are familiar with great percentage (90.5
%) of the respondents are familiar with ad ire. 61.5% of the respondents are familiar with
Ankara. 65% of the respondents are familiar with wooden. 56% of the respondents are familiar
with George while 88.5 % of the respondents are familiar with Aso-oke.
56
Table 7: The perception of people about African fabrics
Variables
Frequency
Percentage (%)
38
19
11
5.5
121
60.5
30
15
Agree
52
26
Strongly Agree
30
15
Disagree
93
46.5
Strongly disagree
25
12.5
Agree
99
49.5
Strongly Agree
33
16.5
Disagree
59
29.5
Strongly disagree
9
4.5
African fabric can be worn for daily activities
Agree
Strongly agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Can be use to sew trouser or short
Tight fitted style made from African fabrics
57
African fabric can be use for night party
Agree
55
27.5
40
20
87
43.5
18
9
Strongly agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
58
Percentage
Variables
Frequency
(%)
Appreciation of African garment design with sequence
in any event
Agree
64
128
Strongly agree
29.5
59
Disagree
5
10
Strongly disagree
1.5
3
Wearing suit made with African fabric to an interview
Agree
3
1.5
Strongly Agree
9
4.5
Disagree
90
45
Strongly disagree
98
49
50
25
131
65.5
11
5.5
Durability of African fabric compare with
contemporary fabric
Agree
Strongly Agree
Disagree
59
Strongly disagree
8
4
30
15
36
18
101
50.5
33
16.5
African fabric preferable than foreign fabric
Agree
Strongly agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Table 7 shows the perception of undergraduates about using African fabrics. Majority
75.5% of the respondents doesn’t use African fabrics on daily basis while 24.5% use African
fabrics on daily basis.
Majority (59%) of the respondents don’t sew trousers or shorts with African fabrics while
41% do. Majority 66% of respondents wear tight fitted dresses while 34% do not. 52.5% do not
wear African fabrics to night party while 47.5% do wear. Majority 93.5% of respondents
appreciate African garments design with sefuince in an event while just 6.5% don’t. 94% of
respondents cannot wear suit made of African fabric to an interview while just 6% can wear suit
made of African fabric to an interview. Majority 90.5% of the respondent’s feels African fabrics
are more durable than foreign fabrics. Majority 67% of the respondents prefer foreign fabrics in
60
producing garment while just 33% of the respondents prefer African fabrics to foreign fabrics in
producing garments.
Table shows the frequency distribution of the perception of respondents on the use of African
fabric.
Perception
S/Agree
Agree
Disagree
S/Disagree
Freq
29
43
78
50
%
14.5
21.5
39
25
Freq
57
40
58
45
fabric are well combined
%
28.5
20
29
22.5
I can say African fabric
Freq
37
40
58
65
%
18.5
20
29
32.5
I appreciate the use of
African Fabric
The colours of African
irrespective of the amount
`The table shows that Majority (64%) of the respondents do not appreciate the use of
African fabric while just 36% appreciate the use of African fabric.
It also shows that 51.5% of the students feel that the colours of fabrics are not well
combined while 48.5% feel are well combined.
Minority (38.5%) of the students can buy African fabrics irrespectively of the amount
which majority (61.5%) cannot.
61
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1
CONCLUSION
The result of the findings shows that most undergraduate do not appreciate the use of African
fabric, they prefer the use of foreign fabric. They believe that garment made with African fabric
cannot be used on a daily basis. They do not believe in wearing African fabric to a night party.
They so much believe in wearing suit made from foreign fabric instead of African fabric to an
interview.
They prefers foreign fabric because they think they can only get the best of their garment beauty
from it.
5.2
RECOMMENDATION
I would recommend the use of African fabric on daily basis because it is attractive and free in on
the body unlike the usual corporate wears. Also undergraduate should promote the use of African
fabric because even the foreign star like Beyonce, Alicia-keys, Fergie, Kelis still uses ankara for
their videos. The use of African fabric should be promoted, starting from the undergraduate.
62
REFERENCES
Adam Levin. The art of African shopping. Struik 2005 pg 169
Adegoke ‘Zoe’ Olubusi. ‘Ankara’–renaissance of the rejected stone. Online 2009
Aremu, P. (2002). Yoruba Traditional weaving: Kijipa Motifs, colou and symbols, Nigerian
Magazine, No. 140:3-10
Clarke, J. (2003). Ilorin Weaving, Nigerian Magazine, No.14:119-121.
Colleen E. Kriger. Cloth in West African history. Rowman Altamira 2006 pg 172
Damilola Ayodele. African fabrics.Treasure Africa. Vol 1. No. 9. 2009
Ekunkunbor Jemi. Allure. September 5, 2010. Pg. 4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrapper_(clothing)
http://www.erieartmuseum.org/exhibits/exhibits2008/kanga/documents/Translations.pdf.
Retrieved 18 December 2009.
John Gillow. Printed and dyed textiles from Africa. British Museum Press, 2001
Judith Perani, Norma Hackleman Wolff. Cloth, dress, and art patronage in Africa Berg
Publishers 1999 pg 28
Lily S. and Martia S. (1992). The art of dress modeling. Thomson Litho Ltd. East Kilbride
Scotland. Pg.5
Murray, K. (1999)., Women’s Weaving Among the Yoruba at Omu-aran in Ilorin Province,
Nigeran Field 5(4): 182-183
63
Parkin, David (2004) 'Textile as commodity, dress as text: Swahili kanga and women's
statements', in Ruth Barnes (ed.) Textiles in Indian Ocean Societies. London/New York:
Routledge, 47-67.
Renne, E. (2002). Aso-Ipo, Red Cloth from Bunnu, African Arts. 25(23):64-70. 110
64
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, ABEOKUTA
HOME SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
INTERVIEW GUIDE
This questionnaire is designed to assess student respond in using African fabric in producing
garment
Section A
1. Sex:
Male (
2. Age:
15-20 (
)
Female (
)
21-30 (
)
) 31-35 (
)
3. Below are some styles of garment stick the one(s) you like.

Sleeveless garment

Very low necklines

Off shoulder styles

One piece dress

Short sleeved styles

Alarding pant

Free skirt

Multi-colour garment

High waist skirt

Alarding skirt
4. List the various styles in vogue …………………………………………………….....
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
5. Which one do you prefer most …………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………
6. List the African fabric you are familiar with ………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………
65
Section B
Please tick as appropriate, your response to each question.
SA = Strongly Agreed, D= Disagreed, Agreed, SD= Strongly Disagreed
7
African fabric is can be worn for daily activities
8
African fabric can be use to sew trouser or short
9
I like to wear tight fitted style made with African fabric
10
African fabric can be use for night party
11
African garment designed with sequins are appreciated in any event
12
Different types of African fabric can use to sew a garment
13
Can suit made with African be worn to an interview
14
African fabric are more durable than the foreign
15
African fabric are more preferable than the foreign fabric
A
SA
D
SD
A
SA
D
SD
Section C
16
The colour of fabric are well combine
17
A can buy African fabric irrespective of the amount
18
There are unique qualities in African fabric
66