Batik fabrics

The word batik originates from the Javanese tik and means to dot - the ancient tradition of hand dying cloth using hot wax blocking techniques originated in Java, Indonesia, and some of the finest batik cloth is still made there. Batiks are made by brushing or drawing hot wax over cotton cloth, then dying the cloth - the wax resists the dye and remains the original colour - and the process can then be repeated using different colours and designs to create more elaborate designs.