Ethnic Arts: Batik Information-How Batik cloth is made

Batik cloth has the image applied to the fabric by applying a resist material, in Indonesia it is wax. The cloth is dyed and the waxed area resists the dye. The process can be done many times to give a variety of colors. Tulis batik is hand drawn with hot wax using a tool called a janting. Most of the batik is done by using a copper stamp to apply the hot wax to the fabric. The batik artisan has heated wax on an absorbent cloth pad. After the fabric is waxed it is dyed, allowed to dry and then boiled to remove the wax. The wax is saved and used again for additional resist. The cloth is then stretched again and gets a coat of wax before the next dying.

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After the fabric is waxed it is dyed in a large vat in a cold water dye bath. The long bamboo pole helps the dyer raise and lower the waxed fabric.

This fabric has been waxed and dyed. It is ready to be boiled to take the wax out of the fabric.

The wax has been boiled out of the cloth and it is ready to be waxed again for a second dying. Dying it two times can produce four colors.

This stone vat is used to boil the fabric. The wax left behind is skimmed off when it cools to be reused.