By Ravini Perera
Batik, the art of writing with wax, is one of the most popular forms of livelihood for women in Sri Lanka. This Javanese-rooted tradition was adopted by many nations following the intervention of the Dutch colonisers. Since its introduction to the island centuries ago, batik was fashioned by women of the Kandyan Court and the Central Kingdom. Subsequently, this was introduced to the artisan class of the country to be developed into a trade.
This painstaking and time-consuming technique begins with a decoration traced onto a piece of pure cotton, silk, or linen cloth. Wax is used to shield this pattern, while the cloth is soaked in a dye bath to colour the rest of the material. After the dye has been completely absorbed and dried, the cloth is boiled to remove the wax in order for the pattern to stand out.
Sri Lankan twists, including numerous innovative designs and methodologies, employed by the producers in the industry make the experience indigenous to Sri Lanka. Thus, taking into consideration the value of the batik industry and its contribution to the economy, many development projects were initiated by the Government. Establishment of a State Ministry, introducing training centres and loan schemes for novices, allocation of funds through Budget 2022, and providing batik attire for Government sector employees were some of the many actions implemented by the State. However, many claims have surfaced on irregularities in the execution of these actions.
Batik Boutique
A pioneer of women empowerment and Former Parliamentarian Dr. Anoma Gamage has spent much of her time promoting the batik industry of Sri Lanka. Numerous occurrences in the past, including the civil war, interrupted the smooth flow of the activities in this industry, resulting in its downfall. Her involvement in the batik industry had contributed immensely for it to regain local and global recognition. Gamage had also initiated many programmes and training sessions for novices, while continuously encouraging beginners with the provision of raw materials and other necessities to kick-start their careers.
Her knowledge, gained through her occasional visits to batik forums abroad, made her realise the lack of standard and proper knowledge within the local industry. Hence, she made arrangements for women to receive the proper education needed. A selected number of women and young girls interested in learning batik were sent on short educational tours to countries such as Indonesia and Bangkok. Though a fraction of these trainees discontinued their careers, others remained to pass on the knowledge that they gained to novices.
Reluctant to let her knowledge go to waste, Gamage launched her own brand, “Batik Boutique”, in 2015. Her passion and work also led to the first “Batik Lanka Exhibition” to be held in Colombo, to showcase the talents of designers from all corners of the island. Under her guidance and blessings, small and medium scale business entities in the batik industry have also bagged many awards presented at local ceremonies.
After the Government was overthrown in 2019, Gamage utilised the time in hand to expand her business undertaking. “At present, I have approximately 35 employees working at my workshops to supply our designs to customers of the local and international markets. My main intention was to help women and their families, thereby providing them with opportunities, which could eventually lead to a decrease in the rate of women migrating with the hope of finding employment in foreign soil,” said Gamage.
She further added that, “one cannot grasp this unique art overnight. If one is determined to overcome the potential obstacles in this industry, success will follow. However, if individuals are pursuing this as a career purely to make profits, their journey may not always be fruitful.”
Gamage emphasised that this is not the most profitable career to engage in at present, given the situation of the country. A significant profit margin can be noticed with large scale businesses due to their investment capacity. The Government is yet to provide practical solutions for the problems faced by small scale businesses in this industry.
Lack of resources in Sri Lanka to match the requirements of the designers was an issue recognised by Gamage. “Raw materials are imported by a handful of importers who cause prices to increase daily. The Government must take strict actions to remedy these issues. Furthermore, excellent marketing strategies are needed at present to promote these batik products, leading to increased incomes. Moreover, all efforts must be focused on preserving this industry, especially given its potential to contribute to the tourism industry in the future,” she said.
The Batik Bird
Batik designing, a cottage industry by status, is highly popular amongst the villagers in the town of Marawila. Customarily, it is either passed down through generations or voluntarily embraced upon being influenced by fellow villagers.
“The Batik Bird” owner Deshani Botheju hails from Marawila and began her journey as a designer following the footsteps of her mother. Since its inception, this mother-daughter duo have built themselves a brand based on hard work.
This small scale business entity serves a wide clientele and specialises in batik bridals, among many other designs. The simplicity, elegance, and uniqueness of batiks has captivated the hearts of many brides, resulting in such designs to be incorporated in weddings. Evidently, batik designs are not restricted to homeware and casual wear but can easily be styled as bridal wear.
“The creativity of the designer plays an important role in determining one’s survival and success in this industry. We constantly strive to deliver unique designs to our customers. Hence, we prioritise customer satisfaction beyond all else. This has been the fundamental reason for the spike in the demand for our cloth, especially customised bridal wear,” said Botheju.
Commenting on the struggle behind the success, Botheju stated: “Many people attempt to duplicate our designs rather than introducing new ideas. This has made our experience in the field unpleasant. It takes a lot of effort to create a batik product. Moreover, trial and error is a big part of this journey to success. From designing the pattern to deciding the colours, it is in the hands of the designer. Thereafter the design is brought to life with our manual labour. The time consumed for the production process may vary from one day to two weeks. It is highly dependent on the design and the weather conditions, as favourable weather patterns are required to dry all batik material.”
The backbreaking work this process entails may thus justify the high prices charged for batik designs. Although customers may believe that batik designers earn high profits monthly, the designers disagree. “The cost of materials, including wax, has increased significantly; it increases on a daily basis. Though this pandemic might have been a contributing factor, price must be strictly regulated,” she said. “Though the Government seems to have initiated many projects that give batik designers hope to cling on to, it is safe to say that these projects may not have covered batik designers in the entire island, including us.”
Tulip Wardrobe
Aruni Uthpala Dissanayake, a teacher by profession, established “Tulip Wardrobe” to fulfill her dream of owning her own business. Since its inception approximately three years ago, it has expanded operations by launching two workshops in Kiribathgoda and Kurunegala. Unlike many others in this trade, Dissanayake spent time mastering the art of batik designing while studying under teachers. This education she acquired, paired with her hard work, laid the foundation for her brand to reach great heights.
“I initially built a platform to sell batik designs of other suppliers and designers. Hence, I was the middleman in the transaction. Months into the business, I realised the necessity of possessing good knowledge about the product that was being sold under my brand name. This motivated me to pursue an educational background in batik designing. The knowledge I acquired with the intention of developing my business quickly turned into a passion which I continue even to date,” stated Dissanayake.
Strategic planning, marketing tactics, and creative ideologies were viewed by Dissanayake to be essential factors needed by sellers to stand out in this highly competitive and crowded industry. Explaining further, she stated that one must strike the correct balance between a good marketing plan and exceptional designs. “One outweighs the other; that is, good products and poor marketing or quality marketing and substandard products will not carry you anywhere.”
When inquired about the many hardships and challenges braved by entrepreneurs in this industry, she stated: “There are incalculable amounts of challenges for designers in this field. Gaining accurate knowledge of batik designing is the foremost obstacle one must overcome. In contrast to other industries, the strenuous activities entailed in batik designing results in the lack of a proper workforce. Daily increase in the cost of raw materials is another significant problem we face at present.”
When inquired about the impact made by the attempt of the Government to deliver a promising and stable future for this industry, Dissanayake praised the concepts of the Government while expressing concerns about the execution of these ideas. “The strategies of the Government have led to a slight collapse of the industry, posing more challenges to the talented individuals in the field. Although the efforts of the Government have kindled hope of a livelihood for many, batik designers can now be found in every nook and corner of the island. Whilst the driving force of a portion of these designers is creativity, others are motivated by the potential income. Moreover, the indirect opportunities created within the industry, such as teaching opportunities, have also raised concerns, given the lack of knowledge of some teachers of batik designing. Sadly, this has lessened the standard of the batik industry, restricting novel ideas and artists from coming forth.”
Affirming the claims that only a selected group of individuals have benefitted by the projects of the State, Dissanayake emphasised on the struggle one faces to create opportunities for themselves in the current circumstances. Batik designing has been an art and livelihood of the poor and vulnerable sector of the society for many years; hence, individuals attempting to destroy this industry must be stopped while genuine artists must be further encouraged with concessions and practical loans schemes. Dissanayake also believes that, by educating the society of the basics of this industry, it can be preserved for years to come.
