Barong Batik

About our product

 

The Barong Batik first starts with jusi fabric from the Philippines, which used to be hand-woven and now is mechanically created from delicate yet strong silk organza fiber.  The cream colored fabric is processed in the villages of Pekalongan in the island of Java in Indonesia where Batik motifs passed on from one generation to the next are hand-drawn using the cjanting (a pen-like implement that uses melted wax as its “ink”) to create intricate patterns that make this Barong Batik a creation that’s truly unique, a fusion of two cultures.

 

How it all started

 

When founder Freddy C. Mercado Jr. wore the first ever Barong Batik he created- a business was born. He attended a social function in Jakarta and immediately got 48 orders from Indonesian as well as Filipino friends and customers. Barong Batik is a true fashion fusion that blends Philippine “jusi”, the material used in the Philippine National Dress “Barong Filipino” and Batik into a unique work of wearable art. Every piece of Barong Batik starts with Jusi material, which is then brought to the village of Pekalongan in Central Java where over 200 Batik artists transform it using the wax-resist process and different color dyes. It takes as much as 3 to 4 weeks to create a 3-meter Batik material and another week or so to tailor it into a Barong Batik. Barong Batik is a registered trademark and is hand crafted so it is normal to find variations in colors and designs that add to the soul of this creation. This rare look and feel cannot be mass-produced thus only a few pieces of Barong Batik motifs and colors at a time, so every owner is assured of wearing a work of art.