Batik is a unique dyeing technique that is renowned for the complicated patterns that it produces on different types of fabrics such as cotton and silk. The dyeing process is based on a wax-resist technique where wax is applied on the fabric using pen-like tools. The fabric is dyed in color after the application of wax in certain patterns and then the wax is scraped off to reveal unique designs. This can be done multiple times to create very intricate and complicated patterns of color on the fabric. The application of wax is done using a canting, which is a drawing tool, or a regular printing block. Printing blocks yield simpler patterns of design when compared to the canting.
Dyeing techniques that are very similar to batik date back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, Indian and Japanese civilizations. However, the present day practice of batik dyeing developed in Indonesia. The island of Java is a hub for this art form that is believed to have had has its roots in their ancient tradition. The Indonesian batik was recognized as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Today, this art has been adopted by many countries across the world to produce designs and motifs that are locally relevant.
