With strong collaboration between the government and private sector, the batik industry can ensure the preservation of this cultural treasure while fostering a sustainable future for generations to come.
Batik’s timeless charm finds fresh expressions through the innovative efforts of entrepreneurs like Azrina Lasa and Amy Blair.
Azrina’s Batik Tektura redefines tradition with minimalist, architectural designs, transforming batik into contemporary art pieces. Amy Blair’s Batik Boutique, on the other hand, intertwines heritage with sustainability, creating products that preserve cultural stories while uplifting local artisans.
Together, they demonstrate how batik can bridge the past and present, offering a platform for creativity, craftsmanship and community empowerment.
Founder of Batik Boutique, Blair, emphasised that the batik industry has immense potential to flourish through collaborative efforts between the government and private sector.
She suggested that government support, such as subsidies for small-scale artisans, skill development training programmes and tax incentives for batik-related businesses, can provide a solid foundation for growth.
"Meanwhile, the private sector can play a vital role by incorporating batik into corporate gifts, uniforms or partnerships with brands to create co branded collections.
"Public campaigns celebrating batik as a national art form and educational initiatives in schools to highlight its cultural importance can also inspire pride among younger generations. By joining forces, we can preserve batik's rich heritage while ensuring its sustainable future,” she said in an interview with Sinar Daily.
Blair also said that batik holds the potential to transcend formal occasions and traditional settings, becoming an integral part of everyday life.
She suggested that this transformation could be achieved by incorporating batik into casual, versatile designs for daily wear and extending its appeal to lifestyle products such as home decor, accessories and tech items like laptop sleeves or phone cases.
Blair further proposed that businesses could champion batik through initiatives like designating Thursdays for corporate batik attire or offering batik-inspired gifts at events.
"Batik Boutique, Malaysia’s only internationally certified B Corp batik brand, holds the highest accreditation under the Ministry of Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperatives (Kuskop) as a social enterprise and prioritises sustainability.
"By partnering with Batik Boutique, companies receive impact reports, showcasing how their procurement aligns with environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives while making a meaningful difference,” she said.
Meanwhile, Azrina, the owner of Batik Tektura, emphasised the importance of targeted grants and funding to support the growth of the local batik industry, which relies heavily on labor-intensive, manual processes.
She explained that the intricate production involves drying each layer of color and silicate for four to eight hours, resulting in a two-metre batik fabric taking four to five days to complete; or even up to 10 to 14 days for designs with multiple layers.
"The prolonged time-to-market often creates cash flow challenges for batik makers.
"To address this, providing easy access to working capital facilities would be invaluable, along with government support in securing essential raw materials like cotton, linen and dye powders; potentially through subsidies to offset rising production costs,” she said.
To dive deeper into the world of Azrina's Batik Tektura and Blair's Batik Boutique, be sure to check out their websites for a closer look at their beautiful collections and the artistry behind them!