The shirt is from Batik Komar of Bandung. The batik is done from both Tulis (hand drawn) and Cap (from a metal stamp) Combinasi. I observed both processes and they are equally time consumming and fascinating. Cotton fabric top grade has a special weave, and both front and back of cotton need to be waxed before dipping in dye. That is why it takes at least a few weeks to months to work on a single fabric. The more colours the more complex the work and more time is needed.
Good works are generally hard to find nowadays as cheap printing (which is not batik at all) competes in the market. If this and the next generations of Indonesians do not know how to appreciate or do not care about batik, then the good work and art form will gradually disappear. Batik already started the decline since 1930s and thru the 1970s and only in recent years with the status of UNESCO heritage for Indonesia starting to see the light...
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