VIVAnews - Despite the invasion of Chinese products, local silk batik products are considered having higher quality.
The basic materials of silk are gathered from Wajo regency, South Sulawesi, which provide more textures than the ones from China.
“Wajo regency is able to produce silk batik basic materials that are made using non-machine looms (ATBM). The quality is higher because they have textures,” Yogyakarta Regional Secretary Tri Harjun Ismaji while attending Batik and Jogjakarta Arts Exhibition at Plasa Depperin, Jakarta on Monday, February 8.
An MoU between Yogyakarta National Crafts Council and South Sulawesi National Crafts Council on silk textile basic material procurement was also signed at the event.
According to Ismaji, the use of Wajo silk is slowly increasing and even having the potential to beat out textile basic materials from China despite their much higher price.
“Wajo silk has kept trending in Yogyakarta,” he said.
However, although the demand for Wajo silk is increasing, the production is still very limited.
“We’re having a problem with cocoon breeding so we haven’t been able to produce in really large numbers,” Industry Ministry’s Small and Medium Enterprises Director General, Fauzi Aziz.
The production of silk textile in Wajo is about 2 million meters per year, contributing only 10 percent to national needs every year.
The cocoons are being bred at houses while mass production requires breeding at large gardens.
“We still have a big potential to develop silk in Wajo. This is a challenge for us. If we stop doing it, we’ll be invaded by Thai and Chinese silk,” Aziz said.
Wajo silk is not only used by crafters in Jogjakarta, but also batik designers in Pekalongan.
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Translated by: Nataya Ermanti
