The word batik (pronounced bateek) is Indonesian in origin. It means ''wax written'' and this is basically what batik is. It is a way of decorating cloth by covering part of it with a coat of wax and then dyeing the cloth. Since wax and water repel each other, an area of fabric that has been covered with wax is unable to accept dye so the waxed area keeps its original color and when the wax is removed the contrast between the dyed and undyed area makes the pattern.

The History of Batik

Batik is a very ancient craft dating back at least two thousand years. Batik has been continuously practice in Java for centuries. It was around 1500 that travelers first brought back tales of highly artistic batik fabric on which people worked for months on end. At the close of the last century the technique was introduced to European arts and crafts.
It can be defined as a method of applying a colored design on to textiles by waxing those parts that are not to be dyed. Evidence of its practice has been discovered in most Eastern and Middle Eastern countries including India, China, Japan, Persia and Egypt, but although its actual source is unknown, it was on the island of Java in Indonesia that the art reached its peak development. Through the centuries Javanese craftsmen have perfected the art, reflecting the culture and religion of their country in the richness of colors and the detail of the designs on their fabrics. These traditional designs have been passed on from one generation to another and are mainly based on the flora and fauna of their surroundings and this form of expression adapts to society now as easily as it did many years ago.