Facts about Batik that You Should Know

Batik is one of Indonesia’s cultural heritages. So, every October 2^nd, Indonesia celebrates National Batik Day. The date is chosen because UNESCO officially designated Batik as the world heritage at that date. Today, the patterns and models of Batik are getting more and more varied. So, you cannot only wear it for formal events but also for casual events. Not only patterns and models, but Batik also has fun facts which are interesting to be known.

A Big Contributor to Foreign Exchange

Batik is not only admired in Indonesia but also in overseas. This Indonesian traditional fabric is already popular worldwide. It is proven by many famous figures who wear Batik. The most known one is Nelson Mandela who often wore Batik. There are also the Duchess of Cambridge and Heidi Klum. World’s famous designers such as Burberry Prorsum and Nicolle Miller are inspired by Batik to create their masterpieces.

For your information, a country which imports Batik the most from Indonesia is the United States of America. Followed by Germany, South Korea, and Japan that also mostly imports Batik. Due to this reason, Batik becomes a big contributor to Indonesia’s foreign exchange. In 2015, Batik contributed around 2.1 trillion to Indonesia’s foreign exchange.

Mr. Soeharto who Introduced Batik to the World for the First Time

Mr. Soeharto, Indonesia’s second president is the first figure who introduced Batik to the world in the middle of the 80s. He did this by giving Batik as a souvenir for the state guests, just like Bali souveniers. In addition, when Indonesia became a host of KTT APEC II or Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation held in 1994, 17 heads of state and heads of government wore Batik. At that time, Batik they wore is made with patterns which represent the symbol of each country combined with Javanese touches. Moreover, Mr. Soeharto had worn Batik when he attended the UN conference. This is why Batik got known worldwide because it was highlighted by a lot of foreign media.

Back then, Batik could only be worn by certain groups of people. Certain Batik patterns could only be worn by certain people in certain events as well. But now, all people are able to wear Batik as they wish. Every pattern, model, and color of Batik is different from every region, such as Batik Bali. If you want to learn more about Batik, there is nothing wrong to join a Batik class.