The art of Hand-batiking

Cape Coast Ghana: Studio One Eighty Nine collaborates with artisans in the Cape Coast area of Ghana, near the first slave castles built in the 17th Century, to preserve the ancient art form of Batik. The cloth is first washed, soaked, and beaten with a large mallet. Then we draw patterns that are carved into wood or sponge. The stamps are then dipped into hot wax, which functions as a dye-resistant, and stamped onto the cloth. The artisan mixes dye to achieve the desired hue and dips the cloth. After the cloth is dry, the wax is removed, leaving behind a work of art. No two pieces of textile will ever be exactly the same. It takes 1-2 days to hand-batik fabric for an item such as a dress or a pair of pants. We employ 2-3 artisans depending on the volume of production.

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