INVESTIGATION INTO THE CONSUMPTION PATTERN OF USED IMPORTED CLOTHING AND INDIGENOUS HANDCRAFTED TEXTILES IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA,

Abstract

Clothing is a basic need of man and its use has been embraced from time immemorial. In Nigeria, indigenous handcrafted textiles were mostly used in the past however the consumption of used imported clothing appears to be enjoying a high degree of acceptance through high demands among all social strata. The purpose of the study is to investigate the consumption pattern of used imported clothing and indigenous handcrafted textiles in Osun State. The research is a non-experimental study which adopted survey research design using questionnaires that generated usable responses from respondents from nine Local Government\ Areas which were: Osogbo, Ede South, Ejigbo, Ile-Ife, Iwo, Ikire, Odo-Otin, ikirun and Ilesa West. The target population was in three groups which included: the snowball selected indigenous handcrafted textile producers/traders, used imported clothing traders, and consumers of both clothing items which were selected using Cochran formula. Attitudinal statements of five-point likert scale questionnaires were administered to 108 indigenous handcrafted textiles producers/traders, 108 used imported clothing tradersand270 consumers of the clothing items. Information on the socio-economic characteristics of respondents, extent of consumption of the clothing items and the reason for the sustained choice of such clothing as well as the perceived effects of used imported clothing on the demands for indigenous handcrafted textiles were elicited from respondents. Data collected were analyzed using frequency and percentages and inferential such as chi-square and T-test to establish any significant relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of respondents and consumption of the clothing items and to determine any significant difference between the respondent’s consumption of used imported clothing and the demand for indigenous handcrafted textiles. The results show that majority were youths and literate. These have enhanced the respondents’ taste and have given increased access to information and the propensity of exposure to Western ways of dressing. The result also showed that the consumption of used imported clothing was high in 7 out of the 9 Local Government Areas studied compared to indigenous handcrafted textiles. Price, aesthetics and fashion trends were some of the factors considered important to acquisition of any clothing item. The chi-square analysis shows that variables such as age, gender, income and educational level had significant association with the consumption of these clothing items. T-test results howed that there was significant difference between the consumption of used imported clothing and the demand for indigenous handcrafted clothing. It is concluded that the consumption of used imported clothing washing her compared to the demands for indigenous handcrafted textiles in the study areas. It is therefore recommended that efforts should be made to encourage Nigerians to consume locally made goods generally and communicate the benefits of consuming such to all stakeholders.