Batik, a traditional Indonesian resist-dyeing technique that uses wax to create patterns on fabric, was listed as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO in 2009. To this day, batik is still worn by Indonesians to mark special moments in life such as births, weddings, and funerals.
In the Indonesian language, the word batik means “to draw” or “to write”. Making batik by applying hot wax with a canting, a pen-like tool, is a uniquely Indonesian craft tradition. The development of the art of batik can be traced back to 17th-century Central Java, when larangan started to emerge, forbidden motifs were exclusively reserved for the royals, making batik patterns symbols of class and identity. Later on, business travelers from all over the country gathered in prosperous trading regions such as the north coast of Java, which allowed batik to develop and diversify