Aso Òkè Weaving Techniques and Perception in Iseyin, Oyo State, Nigeria

There is need for more women to be involved in weaving activities in southwestern Nigeria. The study examined the techniques employed in local weaving in Iseyin and associated factors, as well as the perceptions of consumers on the woven fabrics. The study was carried out in Iseyin, a city in Oyo State, Nigeria, reputed for weaving aso-oke. Cluster sampling was used to select twenty weavers while simple random sampling was used to select eighty consumers. Interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data then analyzed and interpreted using descriptive statistics and correlation. The result showed that most of the weavers (90%) in Iseyin were males, with 80% of the firms owned by individuals. All the weavers use horizontal looms. A majority (85%) use the technique of shedding, picking (70%), and battening (95%) during the production process. All the consumers agreed that aso-oke woven in the area are durable and last long, while 86.3% agreed that they feel comfortable when they wear them. Correlation analysis showed that there is no significant relationship between educational level of weavers and quality of aso-oke. Also, there is no significant relationship between the socioeconomic characteristics of consumers and their perception on the use of aso-oke (r = 0.291, p = 0.213). Financial support from government to producers of aso-oke is recommended as this will increase the number of producers operating on a large scale