Abstract:
The use of smock, primarily a preserve of Northern Ghana ethnic groups, has
somehow assumed a national dimension, and even beyond. Considering the
high patronage of smock and its other fabric products, it is most important for
the consumer to know the basic information about the quality characteristics.
The aim of this study is to find out the differences in tensile strength, colour
fastness, and dimensional stability among others, that exist among the smock
fabrics produced from Yendi, Daboya and Yelwongo all of Northern Ghana.
The quasi-experimental research design was adopted and Stratified random
sampling technique was used to obtain the sample of 162 for the study.
Samples were manipulated to assess the variables under study at the clothing
laboratory of Ghana Standard Authority. ANOVA was used to determine the
differences between and within groups of the fabrics. It was found out that
there existed significant differences in tensile strength and colour fastness, and
other fabric characteristics at p≤0.01 among the categories examined. It can be
concluded that the differences in the tensile strength of the smock fabrics will
influence the life span of the smocks made from them. Smocks that are made
from the fabrics that have poor colour fastness were found to be dyed with
weak mordants. Fabrics that have more weight will influence the draping
quality of smocks made from them. It is recommended that the ministry of
trade and industry together with Ghana Standard Authority should standardise
the tensile strength for smock fabric weavers, local producers of yarns should
substitute natural dyestuff with synthetic ones or use mordants that can ensure
colour sticks to fabrics to be dyed.
