Bali Textiles

One of the most striking things about Bali is the rich variety of cloths and materials that are to be seen in thousands of shops throughout the island. However, only a small proportion of these are indigenous to Bali. The myriad of batik clothes and sarongs available everywhere are mainly imported from Java. A large proportion of the woven cloths (Ikat) round in and around the Kuta / Legian area, are imported from the islands of Sumba and Flores. However, Bali does have a very rich textile industry of its own. The beautiful Songket fabrics wom by performers of traditional dance are a good example. In Songket, gold and silver threads are woven into the cloth to create complex motifs of birds, butterflies and flowers. Sometimes they use so much gold and silver that the underlying cloth is barely visible.

The first kind of textile that you will find in Bali is batik, which is popular among tourists and locals alike. There is every imaginable style and quality that you can chance upon throughout the island, but it is surprising that batik is actually produced in central Java and then shipped to Bali. Bali’s own home-produced cloth is a weft ikat called endek. Ikat is made by tying the weft threads of a cloth before it is woven and then dying them so that the tied areas do not absorb the dye. The cloth is then woven and the pattern, created by the tying of the threads, emerges. This cloth is not very popular with visitors but is indispensable to the locals. Authentic ikat is made of silk but cotton and synthetic yarns are also widely used. Also, keep a look out for kain prada, fabrics woven of silk or cotton and decorated with silver or gold threads or gold leaf. These colorful kerchiefs are worn by temple girls during festivals and take three weeks to a month to weave.