Indonesian batik producers urged to think global

Indonesian batik producers urged to think global

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Yogyakarta International Batik Festival
opened here on Friday with a call to promote Indonesian batik in
the global market.

Gray Nurmalitasari, a daughter of Governor Sultan
Hamengkubuwono X, officially opened the four-day festival for her
mother, GKR Hemas.

"We must learn from our past mistakes and pay more attention
to discovering better and proper batik processing techniques,
including coloring, to maintain batik's everlasting existence,"
Gray said in reading her mother's address at Hyatt Regency hotel.
"In this way, the trademark of batik as the identity of Indonesia
will be maintained."

Hemas reminded local batik producers to monitor international
trends and use environmentally friendly materials in their craft.

The globalization of batik from its Indonesian origins is
evident from the fact that 12 of the 18 jurors in the Yogyakarta-
motif competition come from the United States, Germany, Japan,
Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.

The festival -- the first of its kind -- features 86 sets of
new batik designs of Yogyakarta motifs on silk, 146 ancient
batiks and over 100 silk batiks.

"The new batik designs are the work of the festival
participants and the handmade items have been entered into a
competition," said chairman of the festival organizing committee
Putronegoro.

"In this way batik, especially that of Yogyakarta motifs, will
win in the international market."

For the ancient batik exhibition, the Yogyakarta Palace is
displaying 13 pieces from its collection, with several dating
back to the 1800s.

Some 110 pieces belonging to Yayasan Batik Indonesia and 23
from members of Yogyakarta's Association of Indonesian Batik
Lovers "Sekar Jagad" are also being exhibited.

A seminar, titled The Development of Batik in the
International Market, is included in the festival. Both local and
international speakers are expected to participate. (swa)