How Batik Fabrics Are Made
The process of making batik fabrics has evolved somewhat from when it first began as long as 2,000 years ago. Today, batik textiles can be made much quicker than in the past. Modern mechanism has given way to mass-production of imitation batiks. In some parts of the world, however, many of the same techniques from centuries past are still in use. 100% handmade batiks are still commonly available and they keep this ancient art form very much alive.
Making batiks by hand involves painstakingly applying wax to the fabric to create the design. To make hand-drawn batiks (tulis batiks), artisans use a canting tool. This tool has a small cooper cup with a spout that carefully dispenses the melted wax. Another method of creating batiks uses a stamping block to apply the wax instead of the canting tool. Typically, a mixture of beeswax and paraffin wax is used for batiks. The batik fabrics supplied by SeaWatch Fabrics are made in this way.
The first step in a hand-drawn batik is sketching the design on the fabric. Typically, the fabric is attached to a wooden frame for the wax application. Wax is then applied to part of the design. Then, the first dye is poured onto the area. Another coat of wax follows along with another round of dying with a darker color. The areas that are to be saved are painted with wax. This process continues until the design is completed. Then the wax is removed. This is typically done by putting the cloth into boiling water or a solvent to dissolve the wax. The fabric is hung to dry at the end, at which point it is ready for crafting.