The production process of the batik fabric a textile craft practiced since centuries in Indonesia and Malaysia, is considered to be highly environmentally unfriendly.
The manufacturing process consumes huge amount of water, kerosene and energy and uses toxic dyes and chemicals. However efforts are being made to adopt sustainable practices and produce more ecologically friendly batik fabrics.
The Clean Batik Initiative (CBI) set up last year by the Indonesian-German Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the EU Switch-Asia Grant programme is assisting batik producers in adopting an efficient, safe and clean production process.
The four-year program conducts workshops to provide technical assistance on adopting sustainable means and gives information related to using resources like energy, water and fuel efficiently.
Batik is produced by using an ancient technique of heating wax on kerosene stoves to be later applied on the fabric. CBI developed a more efficient process by using an electric stove attached with a thermostat, thereby saving precious fuels.
CBI is also promoting use of natural dyes, which will to a great extent reduce pollution in water bodies since the chemical dyes are released in to water ways and in the process environmentally harming the lakes and rivers.
The manufacturing process consumes huge amount of water, kerosene and energy and uses toxic dyes and chemicals. However efforts are being made to adopt sustainable practices and produce more ecologically friendly batik fabrics.
The Clean Batik Initiative (CBI) set up last year by the Indonesian-German Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the EU Switch-Asia Grant programme is assisting batik producers in adopting an efficient, safe and clean production process.
The four-year program conducts workshops to provide technical assistance on adopting sustainable means and gives information related to using resources like energy, water and fuel efficiently.
Batik is produced by using an ancient technique of heating wax on kerosene stoves to be later applied on the fabric. CBI developed a more efficient process by using an electric stove attached with a thermostat, thereby saving precious fuels.
CBI is also promoting use of natural dyes, which will to a great extent reduce pollution in water bodies since the chemical dyes are released in to water ways and in the process environmentally harming the lakes and rivers.
