Textiles

TEXTILES

One ofthe most striking things about Bali is the rich variety of cloths and materialsthat are to be seen in thousands of shops throughout the island. Howeveronly a small proportion of these are indigenous to Bali. The myriad ofbatik clothes and sarongs available everywhere, are mainly imported fromJava and a large proportion of the woven cloths (ikat) found in and aroundKuta / Legian area are imported from the islands of Sumba & Flores.However Bali does have a very rich textile industry of its own. The beautifulSongket fabrics worn by performers of traditional dance are a good example.

 In Songket,gold and silver threads are woven into the cloth to create complex motifsof birds, butterflies and flowers. Sometimes they use so much gold &silver that the underlying cloth is barely visible.
Endek, orweft ikat is another common method used in Bali. In weft ikat weaving,the weft threads are dyed to create the design and then woven with plainwarp threads. These cloths are recognizable by their abstract designs andbright colors.
 
Althoughby far the least common form of weaving to be seen in Bali, Geringsing,or double-ikat, is perhaps the most sought after. With this technique,both the warp and weft threads are dyed to their final designs before beingwoven together. With the exception of certain areas in India and Japan,this weaving technique can only be found in the small village of Bali Again Tenganan, East Bali.
 
If you wouldlike to see ikat being woven visit the Cili Weaving Center, Jalan CiungWanara, Gianyar.