Description
Klaten is a regency (Kabupaten) in the Indonesian province of Central Java. More precisely, Klaten is located between the two major cities of Yogyakarta to its southwest and Surakarta (colloquially known as Solo) to its northeast. Klaten is often referred to as the “city of thousand temples” because of the many historical sites in the form of temples in its area, such as Prambanan Temple, Sewu Temple, and Plaosan Temple. The capital city of Klaten regency is also called Klaten, and its combination of several sub-districts, namely North Klaten, Central Klaten, and South Klaten.
Tulis is the premium style of batik where the entire design is applied by hand using a tool called a canting (pronounced chanting). It is a pen-like instrument made from a small copper reservoir with a spout on a wooden handle. The reservoir holds the hot wax which flows through the spout.
The cloth is then dipped in dye or the colour is painted on. After the cloth is dry the wax is removed by boiling the cloth. The areas treated with wax keep their original colour. This process is repeated as many times depending on how many colours are desired. The process can take days or even weeks for more complex designs and colours.
Natural Dyeing Process
Beautiful soft tones as well as strong and vibrant colours are produced using only natural dyes. The process to produce strong colours that last is often a long one. It takes generations of local knowledge which is being lost with the popularity of chemical dyes.
The blue is made from indigo which is grown and harvested locally. It is first soaked in water mixed with lime powder. The lime reacts with the leaf and turns the water blue. It is them fermented for weeks to ensure the colour is strong and will remain in the cloth. Thread is then soaked in the dye mix, beaten with a wooden mallet to send the colour to the centre of the thread, dried, then the process repeats numerous time depending on the desired colour.
Red, yellow, brown, green and black are produced with various roots and leaves, sometimes mixed together for varying colour tones.
Click here to see batik being made