Cheap Chinese cloth disrupts the fabric of culture

Despite the rain pelting Balogun market in Lagos, Ajoke takes her time choosing the tie-dye fabric known as adire that she wants to give as a gift.

The popular textile traditionally dyed with indigo is emblematic of the culture of the Yoruba people, one of Nigeria's majority ethnic groups.

The cloth is typically used for traditional outfits often worn by Nigerians for special occasions, weddings and parties.

The 21-year-old customer slides her fingers over different brightly coloured fabrics to distinguish traditional Nigerian cotton from polyester versions made in China.

As Africa's most populous nation grapples with high inflation that has left many struggling, Chinese counterfeit adire products have become an attractive option.

But the imported textiles are challenging the long-established clothing industry in Nigeria, producers and traders say.