Aso Oke, meaning “top cloth”, is the prestigious hand-woven fabric of the Yoruba, worn at weddings, naming ceremonies and festivals. Its patterns, colours and the skill behind each strip make it one of West Africa’s great textile traditions. This guide explains how Aso Oke is woven, the main types and how to wear it.
What Is Aso Oke?
Aso Oke is made from long narrow strips of hand-woven cloth that are sewn together into wide pieces. It is used for outfits and accessories such as the gele and the agbada; see Yoruba traditional attire and how to tie a gele.
How Aso Oke Is Woven
- Prepare the thread. Cotton, and in some cases silk or other fibres, is spun and dyed.
- Set up the loom. The weaver strings the warp threads on a narrow strip loom.
- Weave a long strip. The weaver passes the weft threads back and forth, creating the pattern in the strip.
- Cut and join. Strips are cut to length and sewn side by side to make a cloth.
- Finish. The cloth is pressed or beaten and cut into outfits.
Traditionally, men often wove on narrow horizontal looms while women wove on broader looms; practices vary between towns.
Main Types of Aso Oke
- Etu: a deep indigo-blue cloth with fine pale stripes, often linked to prestige.
- Alaari: a red or crimson cloth traditionally made from silk.
- Sanyan: a beige or brown cloth made from wild silk.
Where Aso Oke Is Made
Weaving centres include towns such as Iseyin in Oyo State and Ilorin. See the Oyo story in the Oyo Empire.
When Aso Oke Is Worn
Families choose Aso Oke for engagements and weddings; see the traditional wedding guide, the engagement ceremony and aso ebi. For other Yoruba cloth, read how adire is made. Fashion events are covered in Lagos Fashion Week 2026.
Learn More
For general background, see Wikipedia’s page on Aso Oke.
Aso Oke FAQs
What does Aso Oke mean?
It means “top cloth” in Yoruba.
What are the types of Aso Oke?
The best-known types are Etu, Alaari and Sanyan.
How is Aso Oke woven?
It is woven in narrow strips on a loom, and the strips are sewn together.
