Aso-Oke is a hand-loomed cloth woven by the Yoruba people of south-western Nigeria. It’s woven into strips of fabric using silk or cotton yarns, which could be combined with shiny threads and dyed with natural dyes.
The strips of fabric are then stitched together to make men’s large gowns called ‘Agbada’, men’s trousers ‘Shokoto’, men’s hats ‘Fila’, women’s outfit called ‘buba’, ‘iro’, ‘gele’ and ‘iborun’.
The Aso-Oke is usually worn for special occasions like weddings, birthdays and other ceremonies.
There are many different types of Aso-Oke depending on the yarns, weaving patterns, textures and colours. Aso-Oke is an authentic traditional Nigerian cloth.
Over the years, the fabric has become popular in making shoes, bags, jackets, skirts, ties, accessories and even upholstery fabric.
Aso-Oke material is very delicate and should be hand-washed or dry-cleaned, so that it lasts a long while.