MODIFICATION OF NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL MEN’S HORIZONTAL LOOM TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE NARROW BAND FABRIC
MODIFICATION OF NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL MEN’S HORIZONTAL LOOM TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE NARROW BAND FABRIC
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Date
2015-03
Authors
WAZIRI, MOHAMMADU YAHAYA
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Abstract
Traditional weavers are faced with more than the usual problems of artists in terms of public
exposure and recognition. Very few people who buy hand-woven products have the background to
understand the time and effort that was behind the production of their materials. The aim of this
study is to revive the traditional men‟s horizontal loom by constructing a modified loom that will
serve as a model for mass production to sustain Nigerian traditional weaving industry and form the
basis for experimental research in small scale textile machinery production. The methods used in
this study were: field practical and participant observation methods for the construction of the
modified loom with the help of carpenters and metal workers who produced the loom parts
according to the drawings of the researcher. The main objectives of this study were successful,
because the mechanised modified loom constructed can weave. Out of the thirteen samples woven
by the researcher, three of the samples march the targeted traditional woven fabrics they are the
Sawaye, Zugu and Turkudi woven fabrics. After interviewing all the five groups in this study area
all of them did not agree with the first basic assumption which states that the Modified loom
products are of a better quality than the Indigenous loom products. Even those who fairly agreed
that the modified loom products were stronger than the traditional loom products also agreed that in
terms of prestige they too will prefer the traditional loom products. The time spent in the production
of the narrow strip turkudi veil and the fact that it is considered a treasured item, the cost of this
fabric is not within the reach of the well to do Nigerians not to talk of the poor. When the
manufacture of the traditional fabrics is perfected on the modified loom it could compete with the
traditional cloth, substitute and even bring down the prices of the traditional fabric if the Chinese
methods are followed. The Hausa Turkudi industry, still in active operation in Kura town and its
environs in Nigeria today, is over a thousand years old and represents one of the longest runs of
textiles fashion in human history. The traditional horizontal loom fabrics though having value and
prestige are going out of extinction because the marketers are already relying on the second hand
clothes, referring to them as the best product in the market now. The modified loom would produce
a weave equivalent to the works of up to 42 traditional weavers at the same time. The modified
traditional men‟s horizontal loom should not only be motorised, but should be computerized and be
a foundation for textile machinery production, if the Indian experience is to be followed for proper
industrial development. Our textile technologists should design a programme for textile machine
design education facilities which will be strengthened by supporting a postgraduate programme
covering textile electronics and loom computer control systems. Government, the textile
manufacturers and the association of textile technologists should come together under one roof and
invest in research and development (R&D) for the production of indigenous machines that will
form the basis of textile machinery manufacture.
Description
BEING A PhD DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE
SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN INDUSTRIAL
DESIGN, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
Keywords
MODIFICATION,, NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL MEN’S,, HORIZONTAL LOOM,, ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY,, NARROW BAND FABRIC