Batik (
Javanese pronunciation: [ˈbateʔ];
Indonesian: [ˈbatɪk]) is a technique of
wax-resist dyeing
applied to whole cloth, or cloth made using this technique. Batik is
made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool
called a
canting (
IPA: [ʈ͡ʂantiŋ], also spelled tjanting), or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a
cap (
IPA: [ʈ͡ʂap],
also spelled tjap). The applied wax resists dyes and therefore allows
the artisan to colour selectively by soaking the cloth in one colour,
removing the wax with boiling water, and repeating if multiple colours
are desired.
