Batik Fabrics

I promised not long ago to write more on batik clothes and some superb batik designs…

They say a picture says a thousand words…and that’s so true.

I did some researching on the net and just would like to make this post quick and sweet. Some of the most amazing yet simple designs can be found on the net. You will be surprised how beautiful batik fabrics, be it batik clothes, batik bags, batik dresses can be.

Batik Bag:

Taken from http://www.batiksbydesign.com/weblog/

Batik Dress:

Taken from: www.uniquebatik.com/

Taken from: http://www.jandofabrics.com/newsletters/labels/africa.html

Batik Skirt:

Taken from: www.kaboodle.com and www.emphaticnyc.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=46

Batik Scarf:

Taken from: http://www.overstock.com/Worldstock/Handcrafted-Silk-Batik-Scarf-India/3108940/product.html

These are just a few examples of how batik fabrics can look like when tailored properly. I hope I managed to deliver my message.

Technorati Tags: art batik, batik bag, Batik Designs, batik dress, batik dresses, Batik fabrics, batik scarf, batik skirt, batik skirts

Have I told you that I am a Malaysian? I love my country and am proud of our Malaysian Batik. Batik fabrics in Malaysia are rich with Malaysian culture! Now, let me present to you a brief history of Malaysian Batik.

Early 1900s

It is popularly believed that batik fabrics in Malaysia started first in the east coast of the Malaysian peninsula, when the Malay community began experimenting with textile prints without wax. Some also believed that Malaysian batik might have originated from the Javanese, as the designs of our batik fabrics were pretty close to that of our Javanese counterpart.

Early 1920s

Still in its infancy, batik fabrics were made using wooden blocks with designs carved. Beautiful batik clothing can be easily produced using these wooden blocks, which afford quick and low cost production.

Late 1920s/Early 1930s

Copper stamps and most importantly, wax were used in the production of batik fabrics in the east coast of the Malaysian peninsula. Since then, the production techniques remained largely the same until this day.

Hold on…

Am I saying that all batik in Malaysia are printed and sort of ‘manufactured’?

That will be doing an injustice to our hand-made Malaysian batik fabrics!

Our exclusive and exquisite hand-made batik fabrics, start to be publicly marketed 3 to 4 decades after the commercial production of stamp batik. Hand-made Malaysian batik always has a place in a many batik and art lovers because:

1. There are no two identical batik designs
2. Each hand-made batik fabrics are filled with designs drawn by hand

Batik production in Malaysia has come a long way since the early 1920s, it has been continuously developed and practiced by the batik producing community ever since. Hence, it does not come as a surprise that some of the best batik fabrics comes from Malaysia. In the past, batik designs only adorn traditional clothing such as sarongs. Today, batik designs adorn practically everything under the sun that uses fabric from tablecloths to duvet covers. Moreover, Batik Fabrics are also making a comeback in the cut-throat world of fashion with their versatility as well as their intricate and wondrous designs.

Technorati Tags: art batik, batik bag, Batik Designs, batik dress, batik dresses, Batik fabrics, batik scarf, batik skirt, batik skirts

I hope there’s no copyright infringement for the title

Since we are talking about Batik Fabrics, it makes sense to talk about the art of batik - batik designs. Are batik designs just random chaotic designs? You will be surprised.

Batik fabrics can basically be divided into:

1. Geometric
2. Non-geometric

Geometric designs are basically those that are very systematic, very mathematical in a way. Let’s look at a few examples of geometric batik fabrics:

a) Diagonal (Parang)

b) Squares/Crosses/Rectangles (Cepluk/Kawong)

Non-geometric designs allows the designer freedom to express their creativity onto the batik fabric. Again, some examples:

a) Harmonious arrangement of flora, fauna, nature (Semen)

b) Coastal batik, influenced by foreign culture (Buketan)

I highly recommend a visit to this blog if you are interested to read more on the art of batik.

As you can see, batik fabrics are unique and can be very complicated yet truly beautiful. Can you imagine now why batik clothes can be so popular? More shall be written about this in the future!

Technorati Tags: art batik, batik bag, Batik Designs, batik dress, batik dresses, Batik fabrics, batik scarf, batik skirt, batik skirts

Those of us who share the same appreciation and understanding for Batik Fabrics will know that it is one of the most versatile piece of textile. Beautifully design Batik Fabrics can be used for a variety application, it just depends on the creativity of its owner, they can be a fashion accessory for example a scarf, or they can be soft furnishings for the home, or even a form of handicrafts which highlights the best of South East Asia talents in this fine fabric art.

Batik Fabrics are both an art and a craft for centuries in South East Asia. They are highly prized in the ancient world due to their intricate designs and mesmerizing craftsmanship. In ancient times, their usages are only reserved for the royalty and the nobility on certain occasions. Batik painting is an ancient tradition that is still being practice until today in Indonesia and Malaysia. It is also a known fact that the finest Batik Fabrics are still made there.

The making of batik is a tedious process. The process starts with the drawing of designs on a plain piece of cloth. The designs on the cloth usually reflect the local culture and their beliefs. Selected areas of the designs are covered with hot wax using a special apparatus call a “canting” (a tool that consist of a wooden handle with a small metal cup with a tiny spout.), then it is followed by dyeing the cloth in natural dyes. The previous two steps are repeated with different selected areas and colors to create a more elaborate and captivating designs. After the final dyeing procedure, the wax on the fabric is removed using solvents. Finally, the Batik Fabric is dried and ready to be display.

Traditional batik fabrics are usually decorated with animals, mystic creatures and flowering plants motifs and most of the time they come in blue, brown and light yellow colors, the reason behind this is that these colors represent long life in ancient cultures. In recent times, the transition from traditional to contemporary batik designs have become more and more obvious with the ever increasing emergence of Batik Fabrics that are usually decorated with abstract designs or tribal motifs. This transition has proved that batik art which is an ancient craft still continues to meet the needs of creative artists, designers and craftspeople of this millennium.

Technorati Tags: art batik, batik bag, Batik Designs, batik dress, batik dresses, Batik fabrics, batik scarf, batik skirt, batik skirts