Batik

Batik, dyeing technique in which the portions of material not to be colored are covered with wax before the fabric is dipped into dye. After the dye is dry, the wax is removed by boiling and, if necessary, the procedure is repeated for each new dye. It is an ancient Indonesian technique, introduced into Europe by Dutch traders and now also used in Africa. Imperfections caused by the breaking or melting of the wax surface are responsible for much of the accidental effect that gives batik work its character.