The proliferation of fake indigenous fabrics in Nigeria
There has been a huge increase in the amount of fake indigenous fabrics that are available in our markets in Nigeria, sometimes hard to differentiate from the original but certainly here now and readily available.
Perhaps it will be best to shed more light on this epidemic from our own experiences to make it more understandable and worrisome.
Adire merchant in balogun market, lagos.
Street in balogun market that sells Adire
I started using indigenous fabrics such as Adire, akwete and Aso oke when I opened an atelier in lagos which we still maintain and work from in Victoria island lagos .we opened the atelier/shop in 2006, initially it was used as a depot to store clothes we made in the uk and shipped to the lagos shop. I came across Adire when a friend came to the shop and said his mum supplies adire,I quickly said I didn’t use them and rejected the cotton samples he showed me.He asked why and I said they did not have a luxurious feel and look for couture, he asked if I had samples of the fabrics I liked using ,we had some silk samples in the atelier , silk organzas .He took them away and came back and some months he later , he showed them to me , I was surprised and this introduced me to using adire especially in silks.
Modern adire on silks, shown in london at the Ade Bakare Couture annual show 2022
Aso oke fabric woven in Iseyin, Oyo state Nigeria
Hon minister for women affairs Mrs Imaan Suliman-Ibrahim in Aso oke cape
We quietly made beautiful designs in these fabrics and the clients bought conspicuously over the years .i questioned once why the huge interest ,a client said … “this is us “. we never looked back and it’s has now become part of our signature designs in the collections we produce annually.
Traditional adire used for swimwear line summer 2021 collection.
Traditional adire kaftan summer 2012 collection
Jacket made in modern adire from the summer 2012 collection.
Blouse using silk zebeline for the body and sleeves in chiffon, made in modern Adire.
Now fast forward to the present and there has been great use of these indigenous fabrics by Nigerian designers, Asò oke is in great demand ,the weavers are constantly missing deadlines. Adire and akwete is used for all types of designs now, from jackets to dresses ,trousers and skirts in all various styles ,colours and patterns .however demand cannot meet demand ,hence foreign dealers have seen a void in the market and are quickly filling it with cheap imports.
1st lady of kwara state Prof Mrs Folake Abdul Razaq in traditional adire suit, edged with hand stitch red embroidery
The capital the country should be enjoying is lost to imports, this is worrisome ,first indigenous fabrics are akin to the country they are produced in and something of a national heritage and treasure.we cannot allow fake imports to flood the markets ,yes the fakes are cheaper and sometimes elaborate in design and captivating,but they are still not ours and as such the government should place high tariffs on them to discourage imports .it will eventually ruin jobs for the weavers and dealers in nigeria .i was interviewed by the uk tv station ITV by ronke Phillips, they did a documentary on this issue .i mentioned that yes the average working class person would certainly buy a fabric that was more affordable heritage or not ,which the cheap imports offer despite the poor quality but a lot is at stake. A gradual erosion of what is unique to us and a loss of cultural identity.The way forward would for there to be a gradual industrialisation of our textile sector .yes the weavers must still continue and be protected but perhaps it’s time for modernity too ,there could be an alternative which is manufactured in factories in Nigeria.
Mass produced “Adire” in polyester, machine produced in Asia.
Foreign textile mills should be encouraged to set up in Nigeria, (we had Aswani mills and Shokas lace mills in the 70s) so it can be manufactured here using local labour .we as Nigerians are very fashionable people and we should reap the rewards of our sartorial elegance ,which has seen the increase of fashion designers in the country which creates lots of employment and as such we should also reap the rewards of producing the fabrics in the country .its our heritage and as the lady said in our atelier when she admired the silk adire styles and uttered those captivating and insightful words “this is us“
Ade Bakare.
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