Fabrics

By popular request - a selection of fabrics from our recent collections!

Batik fabric design is a unique process and is really indigenous to the Asian countries; they have been practicing this art for centuries, and small family operations to larger companies produce their own style and artistic design of batik. On a sunny day in the countryside in Bali, Indonesia, where we work, you can come upon freshly painted fabrics drying in the sun, and what a splash of color to brighten up an already bright day in the tropics!

Handmade Bali batik art is a labor-intensive artistic process, not a machine made, exact science. The fabric must first be prepared with a background color, then the design is drawn onto the fabric, first with pencil, then with melted wax. The wax, when cold, allows the painters to apply color where they want it, without the colors running onto each other. In other words, it keeps it contained. In a complex batik design, this process can go on several times until the whole pattern is completed. When the whole design is painted and finished, the fabric must be boiled to remove the wax, and it also must be dried in the sun to set the colors. Because there will still be some wax residue in handmade batik fabrics, you may find it just a little stiff until it is washed again; you may also find small patches of wax still on the fabric; this is perfectly normal and will come off in washing and ironing

Our batiked rayon fabric is silky and cool feeling on the body, it drapes well and is flattering on everybody. It is also quite easy to care for and holds its shape well, so it should give you years of enjoyment with proper care. Rayon is made from tree linters/pulp and was originally developed to imitate silk. Our cotton/linen fabric, which is hand painted, is a medium weight fabric and has more body than the rayon and may lend itself better to a cooler climate.

Because our fabrics are handpainted or handstamped, and not mass produced commercially, you can expect variations in design motif and in the color. This is normal in hand printed fabrics. In batiking, after the fabric has been saturated with dye, it will be dried in the sun to set the colors. And because the batiked fabrics have been heavily saturated with the dye, some dye will come out in the washing (please see Clothing Care), but will not affect the color of the clothing. Color and texture variations are natural characteristics of the fabric and dying process, and in no way are considered a flaw!