KUALA TERENGGANU: Batik designed and produced by skilled craftsmen in Terengganu is at a crossroads and needs a boost if it is to survive the many challenges that may force the players in the cottage industry to surrender to the vigorous entry of modern rivals.
Attempts have been made in the past to elevate the handcrafted batik to enable it to break into the global market, but the industry has remained static with little attempt to make it a cultural or fashionable garment of choice to be proudly worn daily by Malaysians.
Making it an attire of first choice on weekends or for formal functions, including dinners and festivities, only limits its demand and confines it to a small circle of people who can afford the handcrafted form.
For batik to be worn by employees of the public and private sectors, it will need some push from the government or initiatives from the captains of industries.
A textile researcher from the state museum, Ramlah Latif, believes that batik has a future if wearing it becomes a culture.
However, she said, there were challenges to overcome, especially the steep prices of batik printed on silk.
“The price (for silk batik) needs to be reduced. It must be affordable, but not at the expense of the cottage industry. It needs to be comparatively competitive with imported printed batik, which are mass-produced, cheaper and have many designs.
“Changing the perception that batik is only for formal functions will take some time. This is the main inhibiting factor. Batik must be made the first choice for office attire or uniforms. The government needs to explain to employees on the need to wear it for work,” she said.
“It will not be easy. The norm will be challenged if wearing batik daily becomes mandatory. For office workers, it will feel awkward at first. Then comes the cost factor. It will affect low-income earners because it means they will have to buy a week’s supply of batik shirts or dresses.
“But it is not just the will of the government. Non-governmental organisations must be on the same track.
“This will see the revival of the batik cottage industry. But to bring the prices of batik to affordable levels, the lowering of prices of other inputs should also be considered.
“We must attempt to make the prices affordable to the masses and not just the elite,” she told the New Straits Times.
Ramlah said cooperation between the fashion industry and industry players must be forged so that the details of accessories made from batik could be produced, including buttons, tie, tie clips, collars and scarves that emphasised local motifs and designs.”
She added that batik could also be used in traditional costumes of various races.
With nearly 10,000 employees in the state civil service, one has to agree that wearing batik daily could easily create an overnight demand for 70,000 batik attire for men and women, and if further translated to ringgit and sen, about RM3.5 million could be injected into the economy overnight and will greatly motivate players in the cottage industry.