What is batik?

Batik is a process of creating designs on fabric by applying hot, liquid wax to cloth and then dyeing it. The molten wax is applied with brushes, stamps or a special tool called a tjanting and as it is applied the wax penetrates the cloth and hardens. When the cloth is submerged in dye, the wax acts as a resist; preventing the dye from entering the cloth in the waxed areas and thus creating a design on the fabric. The process of painting wax onto the cloth and dyeing it can be repeated many times, each time adding more of the design and a new color to the cloth. When the design is finished, the wax is removed and the batik is completed.