Reinterpreting Adire Cloth in Northern Nigeria

In the 1930s, the demand for adire cloth led to its subsequent production in northern Nigeria. Yoruba adire cloths were reinterpreted by Hausa adire makers who developed their own attractive, named patterns. When the Nigerian economy improved and industrially-printed cotton textiles became more accessible in the 1970s, Hausa women largely abandoned adire cloths for manufactured cotton prints. However, tourist demand for adire cloths and changing fashion tastes for newer adire styles have supported their continued creation, particularly in Kano. While political and economic circumstances have reduced adire production, these textiles continue to have sociocultural significance in twenty-first-century northern Nigeria.