Aso oke fabric, (Yoruba: aṣọ òkè, pronounced ah-SHAW-okay) is a hand-woven cloth that originated from the Yoruba people of Yorubaland within today's Nigeria, Benin and Togo. Usually woven by men, the fabric is used to make men's gowns, called agbada and hats, called fila, as well as Yoruba women's wrappers called Iro and a Yoruba women's blouse called Buba and a gown called Komole, as well as a head tie, called gele and so on.
Aso oke is from the Yoruba culture in Kwara, Kogi, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos, and Osun States in western Nigeria
The way of making the cloth has remained the same for centuries, however new techniques and production methods have been looked into to eliminate the weight and thickness of the aso oke cloth. Lighter fabrics make this garment more accessible for casual wear, as many of the locally woven aso oke were unsuitable for certain climactic conditions.[1][2]
- ^ Agbadudu, A.B.; Ogunrin, F.O. (January 2006). "Aso-oke: a Nigerian classic style and fashion fabric". Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management. 10 (1): 97–113. doi:10.1108/13612020610651150. ISSN 1361-2026.
- ^ Ojo, Emmanuel Bankole (2007). "Printing Contemporary Handwoven Fabrics (Aso-oke) in Southwestern Nigeria". Design Issues. 23 (2): 31–39. doi:10.1162/desi.2007.23.2.31. ISSN 0747-9360. JSTOR 25224104.