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Indonesian Batik Cloth
Batik is a traditional art form found throughout Asia, the Middle East,
and Africa, but it is believed that the highest quality batik is made on
the island of Java, Indonesia. The most notable sources of batik work
on the island include Surakarata (called Solo by the locals) and the
island of Madura. The technique of batik includes multiple phases of
coloring and designs either stamped and/or drawn with a canting (liquid
wax pen). Wax is cracked to achieve a marble effect or it is
immediately removed in boiling water and/or by scraping. Dense, high
thread count cloth (typically cotton) is used to ensure desirable
absorption of the dye. Traditionally natural dyes (ie. indigo, tinggi
tree sap and soga tree) were used; today however, a combination of
natural and chemical dyes is used. Designs, including geometric and
free form patterns, are initially sketched with charcoal or drawn free
hand with the canting. Traditionally batik was simple with few colors,
but today it reflects cultural influences, particularly those of the
Dutch.
Care instructions: batik fabric may be machine-washed with
soap for sensitive fabrics, line dry, prevent over-exposure to sunlight
as batik fabric is susceptible to fading (as with any other vibrant
colored fabric)
Due to the handmade nature of the batik, color variations, dye smudges, small imperfections and inconsistencies are common.
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