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Eco-friendly batik lures back customers
Batik-makers in Central Java have said demand for batik made with natural dyes is increasing, as consumers consider garments made from it unique and affordable
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atik-makers in Central Java have said demand for batik made with natural dyes is increasing, as consumers consider garments made from it unique and affordable.
Unlike regular batik products, batik made with non-chemical dyes has less bold colors, making it look classic, according to Harsono, a batik-maker in Bekonang, Sukoharjo regency.
'If the motif is classic, many think the batik is really old. The colors appear faded even though it is a new product,' he said.
Harsono, the owner of Adi Busana Batik House, employs 25 people in his workshop, which can produce between 200 and 300 pieces of printed batik fabric per day.
Each piece is sold for between Rp 150,000 (US$11.20) and Rp 200,000.
Harsono said some 80 percent of his batik products were made using natural dyes. The dyes, he said, were as good as chemical ones and more environmentally friendly.
'Waste from natural dye decomposes significantly faster than that from chemical substances, making it more eco-friendly,' he said.
Over the past two months, Harsono said his shop had sold around 20 pieces of batik fabric, twice as many as earlier this year.
Natural dyes, according to Harsono, is prepared from plants and fruit. Green dye, for example, can be made with avocado leaves or the bark of the mango tree. Grey can be made from kapok leaves while red can be made using mangosteen skin.
Widadi, another local batik-maker, told a similar story. Widadi said he had been producing more batik fabric using natural dye for the last few months to meet increasing demand for the products.
'Many customers from outside the city, like those from Yogyakarta and Jakarta, have recently ordered batik made with natural dye,' he said, adding that some of his long-time customers had increased their orders for the products from one to six score per shipment.
According to Widadi, the motif was no longer his customers' main consideration when purchasing batik but color.
Sri Padmawati, a batik customer from the neighboring Surakarta municipality, said she started to collect naturally dyed batik three months ago after she attended a batik exhibition in her hometown, which is also one of the province's largest batik-producing regions.
