INTEGRATING AUGMENTED REALITY WITH TRADITIONAL PAKISTANI TEXTILE DESIGNS FOR IMMERSIVE CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

Abstract

This study investigated the integration of Augmented Reality (AR) with traditional Pakistani textile designs to create immersive cultural experiences and support digital heritage preservation. The research aimed to examine the impact of AR-based visualization on user engagement, cultural awareness, educational interaction, and heritage preservation support. A quantitative research approach with a descriptive and explanatory design was adopted. Data were collected from 300 respondents, including university students, textile designers, cultural heritage professionals, museum visitors, and digital media users in Pakistan. A structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale was used for data collection, and the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis through SPSS. The findings revealed that AR immersive experiences significantly enhanced user engagement, cultural appreciation, and educational interaction related to traditional Pakistani textile heritage. The results further demonstrated strong positive relationships between AR integration and participants’ support for heritage preservation. AR immersive experience emerged as the strongest predictor of cultural engagement and preservation support, indicating that interactive digital environments effectively transform traditional textile artifacts into engaging learning and cultural communication platforms. The study concluded that integrating AR with traditional Pakistani textile designs provides an innovative approach for preserving indigenous cultural heritage while simultaneously increasing accessibility, experiential learning, and global cultural visibility. The research contributes to the fields of digital heritage preservation, immersive technology, cultural studies, and textile innovation by proposing AR as an effective medium for sustaining traditional craftsmanship in the modern digital era.