Kampoeng Batik Laweyan

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Writed Batik

Friday, 10 October 2008

Laweyan used to be a center of spinning sheet and fabrics factory, that usually named "lawe" (yarn). Kampoeng Laweyan has exist before Pajang Royal Kingdom about 15th century.

On 1546, Kyai Ageng Henis, the noble descendant of King Brawijaya V, stayed in Laweyan. He spread Islamic religion to villager and taught how to make batik, the ancient tradition of Royal Kingdom.

Canthing

The process of batik making

Handwriting batik is a method to draw on a piece of cloth using tool called "canting" (the tool to put wax on cloth), gawangan (made from bamboo to put the cloth on), fry pan, anglo( traditional stove), bamboo traditional fan, covering cloth,wax screneer and dingklik (small wooden chair).

At that time the colour using natural colour such as tinggi plant, mengkudu, soga and nila. For sodium using sodium ash and salt from mud. Because all material used from nature thing, so no pollution added from the disposal water.

The process start from mola (drawing pattern on the cloth using pencil), ngiseni (filling the pattern), nerusi (putting wax on different side), nemboki (covering the part that isn't coloured), mbiriki (softening the cover), pewarnaan (colouring process), nglorot (boiling the cloth in order to loose the wax) and mbabari.

Because of long process and need special skill, so this handwriting batik sold expensively. It classifies as a high class batik. And the most expensive handwriting batik is made from silk. This product is limited edition and made for high end class and some for export.