The Different Types of Batik in Indonesia

SABDA International – Who does not know batik cloth? This piece of Indonesian heritage has long since gone international, and it falls to us, as children of this country, to keep it alive. As the world has grown more modern, batik cloths have appeared in a great many designs, patterns and colours. That is a sign that batik is being preserved well, and that interest in it keeps rising.

With the arrival of modern batik in all its designs, patterns and colours, Indonesian batik is broadly divided into several types according to how it is made. Here is a look at each of them.

• Stamped batik (batik cap)

As the name says, stamped batik is made and shaped with a stamp. The process is very fast and well suited to large production runs. Stamped batik is produced by hand using stamping tools bearing a range of patterns. The tool is usually made of copper: it is dipped in hot wax and then pressed, or stamped, onto the surface of the cloth.

• Hand-drawn batik (batik tulis)

Hand-drawn batik is the traditional, legendary kind, because it takes a long time and is made entirely by hand with a canting, the small wax pen. A hand-drawn batik made with the canting usually takes some two to three months to finish.

• Printed or screen-printed batik

This one counts as modern batik, since it is made by screen printing or printing. The process is the same as printing a T-shirt, but with colour agents chosen to suit good-quality batik. Printed or screen-printed cloth carries its pattern on one side only; the other side stays plain white. It is also quick to produce.

Those are the main types of batik found in Indonesia. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. If you are looking for a maker of guaranteed, high-quality handmade batik, you can contact SABDA International. We make handmade batik products such as batik uniforms, batik bags and batik shoes, all 100% handmade and of a quality that needs no further proof. Have a look through our product catalogue on this site.