As the world is progressing towards advancement, the fashion industry is also keeping race with it. Various new fabrics are designed every day or are in the process of manufacturing to flourish in the fashion industry. Among various types of fabrics, the most delicate, luxurious, and pleasing fabric that can be worn by women, as well as men, is none other than batik.
Batik is an ancient form of art in Indonesia made with wax-resistant dyes on various fabrics including cotton on wool. Batik, due to its pleasing feeling, can be worn at casual and formal events.
After the great success of batik in Germany, Holland, Poland, the united kingdom, etc. Various other countries started manufacturing batik. Now, batik is manufactured in almost every country.
Among various countries, African batik is known in the world due to its great designs, great fabrics, and best manufacturing technique. Thanks to Dutch and English merchants who introduced batik to Africa.
Batik can be manufactured in two traditional ways which are listed below:
- Written batik: Drawing dots, as well as lines, are used for making designs on fabrics
- Stamp batik:A stamp called “Cap” is used for printing design on the fabric.
However, the manufacturing of African batik is quite unique. Interested to know how African batik is manufactured? Continue reading.
Materials required for manufacturing of African batik:
- Dye stuff
- Paraffin wax/candle wax/beeswax
- Cotton or wool fabric
- Water
- Pen, pencil or chalk
Equipment required:
- Rubber gloves
- Electric iron
- Heat source
- Tjanting
- Plastic bowl/bucket
- Empty beverage tin or old roasting pan
- Lots of towels or newspaper
Process:
- Take a large basin and melt the wax.
- Use any sharp object (for example, a knife) and crave the design onto a sponge block
- After craving the design, dip the block into the hot, melted wax, and print it on a superior of a hundred percent gray, cotton, fabric.
- Place the whole cloth into the first dye bath to create the main background color (mainly lightest color are preferred)
- Dry the cloth from the outside in.
- Repeat the same stamping, dyeing, and drying process, to add the additional patterns and color to the fabric.
- Eliminate the wax by putting the cloth into burning water. However, this process can remove the wax but not all of it
- Wash the fabric in chilled water in order to remove all the wax from the fabric.
- Dry the cloth from the outside.
- Tada! You have successfully manufactured African batik.
Note: The above manufacturing method of African batik is carried out by experienced persons. Do not try this method at home.
