CRAFTS OF INDIA / BATIK / RAW MATERIAL

i) Cotton or silk cloth is used for batik (synthetic materials are generally not used).

ii) Paraffin wax is used in the process.

iii) Dyes -Napthol, Direct and Vat dyes are all used in the dyeing process

iv) Firewood and kerosene for heating the wax

Tools

i) Wooden blocks for printing

ii) Vessel to heat wax in

iii) Plastic bucket or big bowls to mix colors

iv) A frame/ table to fix the cloth (table has sand on it so the wax does not spread)

v) Brushes for making free-hand designs. These brushes can be used only for waxing.

Cotton cloth for wax printing and dyeing is bought from the south (Tamil Nadu). Paraffin wax is bought from Rajkot-Gujarat and Mumbai. Dyes are available in Jamnagar, Anjar--Gujarat and Mumbai.

Vat dyes have more color fastness but have a limited color range. They are the most expensive of the lot. Napthol dyes are used more for dark base colors like maroon and blue. Direct dyes are used more for over dyeing after the pattern and the other colors have been done.

All other sundry raw material required for batik is easily available though it is difficult to find some of the old block designs that were used earlier for printing.