Batik

Batik Artisan Fabrics

The quintessential Indonesian textile

Young Colors uses the ancient art process of batik to create fun motifs for our colorful fabrics. We begin by drawing and designing motifs for new fabrics each season. To create the color story concept, we keep in mind the basic principles of mixing colors. A metal stamp or "cap" (pronounced "chop") of the new motif is carefully made by an artist. The cap is the source of the crisp detail in our fabrics.

The fabric-making process starts with white cotton. The number of colors determines how many dye baths the fabric goes through. In a simple design, the first dye bath is the color of the motif or pattern. We then hand stamp the motif onto the newly-dyed fabric with a cap dipped in hot wax. Wherever the wax sets, the next dye or color will not. Depending on the desired effect or complexity of the colors, various processes are used to create multiple colors and shading. After the fabric is set and dried, it is placed in boiling hot water to remove the wax. The long sheets of fabric are then line dried in the hot, tropical sun, helping to further set the colors. After this, the pre-washed, pre-shrunk fabric is ready to be cut and sewn.