Textiles and Prints

The art forms its roots date back to Java, Indonesia. It is the process of decorating the cloth with the help of using wax and dye method which is either applied to the whole or a piece of cloth. On the plain cloth (white) the wax is either applied with the help of spouted tool or cooper stamp and soaking them in other colours by repeating the same process, removing the wax by putting them in boiling water. This wax contains beeswax or paraffin mixed with plant gum/resins which prevents dye. The technique is very old, one thousand years old, possibly originating in ancient Egypt or Sumeria. A batik creation undergoes 3 basic steps –waxing, dyeing and scraping(removing) back to back that means one after another. In India Khatri were the firsts to bring Batik Printing in Gujarat. Indigo and brown colours are mostly preferred because they are commonly available natural dye. The Batik fabric is by itself an art form which is noted for its wax resisting dyeing technique. Demand is incr