Assessment of Consumer Preference in the Use of African Wax Prints in Ghana

Africa as a continent is well noted for its artistry and culture which forms an integral part of everyday lives of the people. Africans portray themselves with a rich material culture and this is expressed in the fabrics they adorn themselves with. Notable among such fabrics are the types known as 'African prints' which are actually not of African origin but have come to be accepted as part of African textiles with the incorporation of traditional motifs. A survey of the sales and usage of of the prints shows that consumers mainly used the prints for making garments and accessories. With a variety of colourways, symbolic motifs and textures, among others, consumers have the choice to select from a wide range of prints to find the one that best suits the intended purpose. This paper assesses consumer preference in African Wax prints to ascertain the buying drivers that influenced consumers in choosing a specific print for a specific need. The study finds that consumer preference for the prints has changed significantly due to the dynamism in today's fashion trends and needs of consumers. Factors such as brand and quality, colour scheme, pattern size and layout, symbolism and cultural significance and the adaptability of the print design to fashion styles are the main driving forces that influence consumers to choose a particular print for a specific need. It is recommended therefore that textile and fashion designers should make concerted efforts to consider these factors in their design process so as to satisfy the needs of their consumers to promote the prints both locally and internationally.