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)