The story of Batik
Batik is one of Indonesia’s most treasured art forms — a centuries-old craft of drawing and dyeing fabric using hot wax. Each pattern tells a story, passed down through generations, reflecting local beliefs, nature, and the rhythm of life itself.
Indonesian Batik was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2009, and remains one of the world’s oldest and most meaningful crafts.
The techniques
At Studio Batik Batik, we work with artisans across Java who master two traditional techniques. Each method brings its own character, texture, and story.
Batik Tulis
Batik Tulis is completely drawn by hand using a canting, which is a small pen that drips hot wax onto fabric. They use wax to block the fabric from absorbing colour, so only unwashed (white) areas take on the color. The cloth is then dyed, dried, dyed again for darker colors and finally the wax is removed with hot water and soda. This whole process is repeated for every new color, revealing the detailed patterns each time. This method is incredibly detailed and time-intensive, often taking weeks to complete. Every piece is one-of-a-kind, carrying the natural flow and imperfections of the artisan.
Batik Cap
Batik Cap is a technique using a copper stamp to apply wax in repeated patterns. Again, after dyeing and drying, the wax is carefully removed and revealing its final design.
