A little more about...Malaysian Batik

 

 

How did batik come to be in Malaysia?

 

 

 

According to the Museum of Cultural History, Oslo, Malaysian batik most definitely draws its roots from its Javanese predecessors. Batik is thought to have come to Malaysia through trade with neighbouring nations, so it is unsurprising that along with many other cultural influences, the art of printing on fabric also dyed itself into the cultural fabric, prevailing mainly on the country’s eastern coast.

 

 

 

However, it is somewhat surprising that some of the pivotal influences the Javanese had on the practice came as recently as the 1920s. Before this time, the use of wax and metal stamps or blocks to create batik patterns had not yet been introduced – Malaysians used wooden blocks instead.

 

 

 

Over time, however, particularly after batik began to be mass-produced from the 1960s onwards, and especially after the government aided its popularity as national dress, Malaysian batik has taken on a style of its own, making it stand apart from Javanese craft. Today, batik is either hand-printed, or block-printed. The most typical fabrics usually bear geometrical patterns, or depictions of flowers and leaves, since drawing images of human beings and animals is prohibited in Islamic culture.

 

 

 

 

 

Hand-printed batik

 

 

 

1)   Patterns are etched on to fabric using hot, molten wax, using a pen-like device called the canting.

 

 

2) The outlines are then filled in with dye, using paint-brushes. This method allows for the use of multiple colours, hues, tints and shades.

 

 

3) Once the dye has dried, the solidified wax is scrubbed off of the fabric

 

 

4) Fabrics such as silk, rayon, linen and cotton may be used

 

 

 

Because of the time and skill it takes to hand-print on fabrics, not to mention the fact that designs may be ‘customised’ with different colours and designs, hand-printed batik is rare and generally more expensive. This makes it somewhat of an exclusive type of dress- both women and men often choose to show off their personalised batik shirts, dresses, scarves and so on at important occasions, celebrations and events.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Block-printed batik

 

1)   A copper or wooden stamp with the desired pattern on it is dipped into hot, molten wax, and then pressed into the fabric.

 

 

2) Once the desired blocks of patterns have been created, the fabric is dipped into the dye.

 

 

3) The wax is scrubbed off after the fabric has dried.

 

 

4) Cotton is commonly used.

 

 

The use of blocks, while speeding up the process of printing batik, also restricts it to being uniformly coloured. If different colours and patterns are to be used, the piece of fabric has to be printed on and dyed multiple times, extending the process.

 

The comparatively shorter time and skill needed for block-printing batik has made it possible for such fabrics to be mass-produced. Today, block-printed shirts, blouses, skirts and other forms of clothing are typically donned as casual-wear.