Batik is an identity of Indonesia

Indonesia is a multicultural country which consists of thousand islands and tribes. The differences of demography and geography cause cultural differences, including the outfits worn by each tribe. Batik is one of the outfits that are quite popular, and its popularity has been known worldwide.

If you watch TV and see the President of Indonesia talking in public or in international conferences, you may see him wearing such an ethnic shirt with unique motifs. That is what so called batik, the national clothes of Indonesia citizens.

In some occasions, Indonesian may wear their traditional outfits, such as kebaya, baju kurung, ulos, etc. But when they come to national events, batik talks much. This outfit is a symbol of unity. It is a uniform which is considered as a must. This is a way to show how proud they are to be Indonesia citizens.

Indonesian Batik has been claimed as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity for all the techniques, technology, motif development, and the cultural values needed to make a piece of it. It is because the process includes two factors: coloring techniques and the choice of the motifs. This step is not easy since every motif should have a characteristic.

Indonesian believe that the existence of Batik started in Majapahit era, and increasingly popular in the end of 18th century or he beginning of 19th century. Batik was actually purely handmade, but later on, as the technology has developed, it is mostly printed. What supports this change the most is the amount of orders. The handmade ones do need long time of painting, but the printed ones need shorter time.

Years ago, batik was only worn in formal occasions. At that time, Indonesian tend to choose batik instead of tuxedo or other formal outfits. But today, batik is even worn by students and employees as their uniform in certain days, such as every Friday.

In some families, Batik is even considered as a tradition. It makes them have their own motifs which are different from other families. It is like their identity, since the motifs can even show their economical status. Until now, the traditional motifs are still used by the family of Yogyakarta and Surakarta residence. Batik is probably the most unique outfit you have ever known. Where else you can find that brands do not talk much, but motifs do?

Indonesia batik scarf

The batik scarf has been becoming a popular fashion accessory in the modern world today. While both batik designs and the humble scarf is steeped in tradition, they combine to produce the batik scarf which can add an exotic touch to the wardrobe.

Batik products have their roots in a type of dye technique called the wax resist dye method. This technique was first seen in ancient Egypt where they were used to wrap the bodies of various mummies at the time. Today however, there are two main centers of batik production, India and South East Asia.

The main producers of the best products are from India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. The most highly sought types are those that are produced in Indonesia. Indonesia has a rich history of batik making that can be traced centuries back.

Like Malaysia, batik products in Indonesia were traditionally worn by people from nobility and aristocrats. This is still seen today as batik is still a popular choice among politicians attending social functions as well as the respective nobility.

Batik shirts and attire are viewed as formal wear in Indonesia and Malaysia and is very much a part of their cultures. Undoubtedly, the most highly sought after examples are those that are produced in Indonesia. They have some of the best designs that are influenced by religion and culture from specific regions such as Bali and Java.

While batik products have never been widespread globally, they have become much more accessible to just about anyone from any country. One of main reasons for increased accessibility is undoubtedly the internet. Such goods along with fashion ideas travel through this medium increasingly nowadays which may be why the batik scarf has slowly been making inroads. While not very popular in the West, used correctly, the batik scarf can add glamor and sophistication as day wear or even during formal functions.

Batik Print

Batik has its origins in medieval Egypt but is currently seen Asian countries as a key center of manufacturing. In Indonesia, only members of the royal family used batik works of art in the old days because they are considered stylish to have a special meaning to their wearers. Despite the fact that the craft originated form Egypt, has traveled to other regions of the world such as Asia and Africa. This has provided any particular piece of batik with a unique and distinctive pattern or design of each region is very appealing to religion and culture, especially a typical city of Pekalongan.

Batik Print

Batik prints are not just used in various types of clothing such as shirts, scarves and dresses but it is also used for furniture, pictures along with wall hangings. Batik is usually a incredibly labor demanding procedure that produces gorgeous and distinctive patterns on permeable materials such as cotton as well as silk. At the start, cloth, normally white or cream in color is cleaned in boiling water to remove all traces of many other materials such as starch before the procedure commences.

Pattern of batik print

The preferred pattern is traced on the chosen material while areas of the material that are not be colored are lightly brushed with paraffin (melted) and also wax (Beeswax etc) to avoid them becoming blemished. This is done using an ordinary brush or sometimes, a traditional canting pen. The temperature of the wax is controlled at a specific temperature all the way through.

Color of batik print

Once the wax cools and hardens eventually, the dyeing procedure may then begin. This is done by putting the textile in the dye, with lighter color used initially before moving on to darker ones. If immersed for extended periods of time, the resulting color is intensified. The process carries on right until the specific color and desired intensity is achieved. Once this is done, the wax must be removed somehow. This can be done by using a hot iron.