Read about batik for more than a minute and you'll run into Indonesian words that don't have a neat English equivalent: tulis, cap, canting, malam, kain. This glossary explains the terms you're most likely to see on product pages, in museums, and in our own blog posts, in plain English. For the big picture first, start with What Is Batik?
Techniques & Types of Batik
Batik A wax-resist dyeing technique: hot wax is applied to cloth, the cloth is dyed, and the waxed areas stay the original color. Repeating the process builds up layers of color and pattern. Indonesian batik is recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Batik tulis ("written batik") Batik where every line of wax is drawn by hand with a canting. It's the most time-consuming and most prized type. See our fully hand-drawn batik tulis bandanas.
Batik cap (pronounced "chap") Batik where the wax is applied with a hand-held copper stamp, also called a cap. Faster than drawing, so more affordable, but still made by hand.
Batik kombinasi A combination of stamped and hand-drawn work on the same cloth, often stamped for the main pattern and hand-drawn for details.
Batik printing / motif batik Fabric printed by machine with a batik-style pattern. No wax is involved, so technically it isn't batik. The easiest giveaway: the back is pale or blank. See how to spot real vs. fake batik.
Tools & Materials
Canting (also spelled tjanting) A small copper reservoir with a thin spout on a bamboo handle, used to draw hot wax onto cloth. More in The Canting: The Tiny Copper Tool Behind Every Batik Tulis.
Cap A copper stamp, built from strips of copper soldered into a pattern, dipped in wax and pressed onto cloth.
Malam Batik wax, usually a blend of beeswax, paraffin, and resins. Different blends crack or hold differently.
Mori The plain white cotton cloth that batik is made on.
Kain Simply "cloth" or "fabric." Kain batik means batik cloth.
Steps in the Process
Nembok Covering large areas of cloth with wax to protect them from a dye bath.
Isen-isen The small fill-in details (dots, lines, tiny flowers) that fill the spaces inside and around the main motifs.
Cecek Tiny dots, one of the most common isen-isen.
Nglorod The final step: boiling the cloth to melt off the wax and reveal the pattern.
Want to see it in action? Watch our batik making process video.
Colors & Dyes
Sogan The warm brown associated with classic Central Javanese batik, traditionally from the bark of the soga tree.
Nila / tarum Indigo, the plant-based blue dye used in batik for centuries.
Pewarna alam Natural dyes. Our botanically dyed Kawung Ceplok scarf is one example. Learn more in Natural Dyeing, Explained.
Motifs
Parang A diagonal, flowing S-shaped motif often compared to a blade or waves breaking on rock. Historically some parang patterns were reserved for royalty.
Kawung Four ovals arranged around a center point, inspired by the palm fruit. One of the oldest batik motifs. Try the Royal Honey kawung bandana or Machete and Flower Petals, a parang-kawung combination.
Mega mendung ("gathering clouds") A layered cloud motif from Cirebon on Java's north coast, said to symbolize patience and calm. Our Red Storm bandana is a mega mendung design.
Truntum A scattered pattern of small star-like flowers, traditionally associated with lasting, growing love and often worn by the parents of a bride and groom.
Ceplok A family of geometric motifs built from repeating squares, circles, or stars.
Sekar jagad ("flower of the universe") A patchwork-like motif made of many different small patterns fitted together like a map.
Buketan Bouquet-style floral designs, associated with coastal batik from places like Pekalongan.
For what these motifs mean, read The Meaning Behind the Motifs and Types of Batik Patterns.
Garments & Styles
Kain panjang A long rectangular cloth worn wrapped as a skirt.
Sarung (sarong) A wrap cloth, either sewn into a tube or worn open. See our batik sarong shawl.
Selendang A long shoulder cloth or shawl, the ancestor of the batik scarf. Browse our batik scarves.
Iket / udeng A traditional head cloth, folded and tied around the head. Iket is the Javanese and Sundanese term; udeng is Balinese. It's the closest Indonesian relative of the bandana.
Keraton batik "Palace" or court batik from Yogyakarta and Solo, known for sogan browns, indigo, and cream, and formal motifs like parang and kawung.
Pesisiran batik "Coastal" batik from Java's north coast, known for brighter colors and influences from Chinese, Arab, and European traders.
Ready to wear a little of this vocabulary? Browse our hand-dyed batik bandanas, batik tulis bandanas, and batik scarves.
