Today, I want to share a bit more about one of my absolute favorite types of clothing – batik-patterned clothes! The fun part about batik is that all patterns are unique and incredibly vibrant. There are so many ways to create batik patterns, and the colors can be combined in endlessly many ways, from two colors up to as many as you can imagine. Batik patterns can be simple or complex, all equally beautiful.
Batik is a dyeing technique with many years of history. Originating from Asia, the technique involves reserving parts of the fabric that you don’t want to be dyed. This is done by tying the fabric at selected points with strings or rubber bands, or by covering the parts you don’t want to dye with wax. The second step is to dye the fabric in a warm or cold dye bath, depending on the color and type of fabric. If you want a multi-colored fabric, the dyeing process occurs in multiple stages, making the fabric darker with each dyeing. Any excess dye is thoroughly rinsed off between dyeings, and the knots or wax are removed only when the entire dyeing process is complete. The areas that were tied first remain white and/or the lightest in color.
The garments we have in our collection are dyed using tie-dye techniques. First, the garments are stitched up, and then they are dyed to ensure all patterns are in their correct places. Our garments are stitched up and dyed by hand in Nepal by skilled artisans we have been collaborating with for several years. You can read more about the artisans here. We also source some tie-dye garments from Thailand, where they are also dyed by hand by skilled artisans. Through my travels over the years, I have found my favorite suppliers.
Here, the garments lie drying in the warmth, either hung up or laid flat on the ground.
Batik garments are typically dried outdoors in the warmth, but there have been occasions when the rainy season has caught us just as drying begins! In those instances, the drying process halts, and deliveries are delayed. However, it’s still better for the garments to dry naturally than to use energy-intensive fans. It takes the time it takes :) “Good things come to those who wait,” as they say.
Here you can see a short film from the production of our Karin jacket.
Batik clothes for women are not only beautiful but also fun to style because they contain so many different colors. Choose a color you want to highlight, pick it out, and style with that color, and you’ll notice that the effect is completely different from just styling with black.
Care instructions – Take care of your lovely batik-patterned garments
Garments in strong colors should always be washed separately the first few times. We recommend washing batik-dyed clothes in cold water (30 degrees), either by hand or in the machine, to keep the colors as vibrant and beautiful as possible for as long as possible. We recommend soaking in vinegar for all garments in strong colors, not just ours, but clothes in general. The vinegar binds the color in the garment, keeping the colors bright, and also removes any chemical odor. It’s important to do this before washing the garment for the first time.
Video on Swedish:
Have you tried batik clothing or have you even tried dyeing yourself?
Please tell me!
Hugs, Marie