ABOUT THE BATIK BUTIK
The Batik Butik (sounds like
"boutique") is a Canadian business based in Victoria, B.C. The
owner and founder, Barb Alexander, works with a small factory in Bali
and transforms personal art images into the highest quality, 100% rayon
fabrics, all hand-dyed and hand-stamped.
The small, ethical, family-run batik factory is environmentally
responsible and small enough to allow Barb to get right in on the design
process. The skilled factory workers take her artwork and colors and
make fabric dreams a reality.
ABOUT THE FABRIC
Congratulations on your
good taste! This rayon batik fabric is truly a work of art. Each
piece has been hand-dyed and/or hand-stamped in Bali using both ancient
and modern techniques combined with quality dyes to produce the unique
fabrics you see here. In a world of mass-produced fabric, you can now
own fabric with "the personal touch".
Rayon's quality has
dramatically improved and it has become a fashion favourite. It used
to be that all rayon had to be dry-cleaned to prevent shrinking or
pulling out of shape. Not these rayons! Only #1AA quality rayon - the
very best available in Southeast Asia is used. This rayon is
completely
washable and easy care. And the dyes are colorfast. Rayon drapes
beautifully, skimming over "figure challenges", making it a flattering
choice for everyday fashions for work, leisure and special occasions. A
"natural" fabric made of wood fiber and cotton linters, rayon breathes
and is the most comfortable fabric to wear in the heat. But don't think
of it simply as a summertime favourite; rayon is suited to year-round
wardrobe planning.
Care of the fabric:
Pre-washing is important for a few reasons: in Bali, the fabric has
been put through several dyes and stamping processes to make up the
finished design. After each dyeing, the fabric has been hung on tiny
nails or staked to the ground to dry in the sun. This distorts the
selvedge resulting in the peaks and tiny holes you may see. Washing the
fabric helps bring it back to its original shape. While rare, there may
be slight traces of wax residue or mud on your fabric; this will wash
out. While shrinkage is minimal (approximately 4-5" per yard or metre),
pre-washing is highly recommended. Any gentle detergent is fine but a
product called Eucalan
is absolutely the best cleanser for this fabric. It is a gentle cleanser
made with eucalyptus and lanolin that produces a wonderfully soft result
for batik rayon and other fine washables.
For washing fabric, a
gentle machine wash in warm water should be followed by machine drying
in a warm dryer. For washing garments, machine wash on
delicate or hand wash; then hang to dry. Once dry, tossing the garment
in a warm dryer softens the fibers before ironing. Prevent shine on dark
or solid fabrics by ironing from the wrong side or with a press cloth or
a Teflon "iron shoe". The iron should be set on "wool" with some steam
for best results.
Right side/wrong side of the fabric and cutting tips: The right
side of the fabric will have the clearest designs and most distinct
colour. To prevent rayon from slipping when cutting, we recommend
frequent pinning and ensuring the grain-line is straight. Serrated blade
scissors or rotary cutters work well.
Sewing our rayon is
easy. Use a new size 80/11 universal needle for every project with
all-purpose (polyester) thread and a stitch length of 2.5. On long
straight seams, a
slight zigzag will prevent puckers: try a width of .5 - 1.0 and
length of 2.5 - 3.0 for best results. Serge seams (or use French Seams
as a finish as the Balinese women do).
Interfacing:
Avoid changing the "hand" or drape of our rayon with a good quality,
lightweight fusible knit interfacing. We recommend using this
interfacing with the greatest stretch running on the lengthwise grain
of the garment. This permits the rayon to relax as it is meant to do. We
have found great success interfacing whole jackets or vests to add
structure to our soft rayons paired up with drapey pants or skirts!
