Following UNESCO's announcement of batik as an element of the world's intangible heritage earlier this month, hand-painted batik makers in Sumberjambe in Jember, East Java, have received bulk orders for their Jember speciality products.
Mawardi, owner of Sumberjambe pioneering batik production house UD Bintang Timur, said his enterprise had been enjoying a 150 percent increase in batik sales, thanks to UNESCO's announcement.
"UNESCO's decision has really been a blessing for batik industry."
He added that before the announcement he received only 20 orders for batik a week at the maximum. Now he received at least 50 orders per week and his batik painters had to produce between 200 and 300 pieces of batik a month.
Mawardi said he had yet to add new employees, saying it could be just a temporary phenomenon.
"I will observe the development within the next year. If the increase is stable then I will consider employing new batik makers," he said.
Painter Mahfudatun said she only stopped making batik to cook, bathe and sleep. "It's exhausting but makes me happy because it means I earn more money."
She shared Mawardi's worry the current batik popularity would be temporary. She receives between Rp 15,000 and Rp 30,000 per batik, depending on the motif's complexity.
The Sumberjambe batik is known for its tobacco leaf motif, and dates back to the 1880s. This year the Jember administration designated it as the regency's speciality batik.
The head of the Jember Cooperatives Agency, Mirfano, said that to help maintain public interest in batik, his office would continue to promote Sumberjambe batik.
"We are looking into the possibility that the 100 private institutions in the regency will be willing to use Sumberjambe batik as their employees' uniforms, to follow the example of the regency administration's agencies," he said.
"I hope this will help Jember people to better understand their local products and wear them as well.
He said had been promoting batik through his agency's website and Facebook.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|