Batik

Batik is made by drawing hot wax onto cloth, dyeing it, then removing the wax to reveal the pattern. Hand-drawn batik tulis uses a small copper pen called a canting; batik cap uses copper stamps.

Patterns often carry meaning: parang motifs were once reserved for royalty, while coastal batik from Pekalongan and Cirebon shows bright colours and Chinese, Arab and European influences.

UNESCO inscribed Indonesian batik as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. Indonesia celebrates National Batik Day every 2 October.