How to Care for Kelantan Batik So the Colour Lasts for Years

Batik is cloth patterned with wax and dyed by hand, often in several layers of colour, and the first few washes can release some excess dye. How you wash, dry and store it decides whether the colour stays bright for years or fades early. This guide is the same advice we give customers at the counter of D'Rose Batik, our shop at Bazar Buluh Kubu in Kota Bharu, Malaysia, and it applies to the cotton, crepe silk and satin silk we sell.

The first washes: separately, in cold water

For the first two or three washes, wash new batik on its own, not with other clothes. Some excess dye may come out, especially from dark colours such as red and navy, and it can stain white clothing. Use cold water. Hot water makes dye run faster.

Wash by hand. A washing machine spins and rubs the cloth for a long time, and that friction speeds up fading and wears the surface of silk. A shirt or a baju kurung (the Malay tunic and skirt) takes only a few minutes to wash by hand.

Which soap to use

Choose a mild soap. Do not use bleach or a detergent with whitening agents, because they strip colour and can leave pale patches that cannot be repaired. If you use washing powder, dissolve it in water first rather than sprinkling it straight onto the cloth.

D'Rose Batik sells its own batik wash in two sizes, large and small, for customers who want a soap made for batik. You can buy it at the shop or ask about it on WhatsApp.

Soak for no more than 5 minutes

A long soak gives dye time to leave the cloth and settle on other parts of it, which leaves blotches. Soak briefly, rub gently by hand where it is dirty, such as the collar and cuffs, then rinse in cold water until the water runs clear.

Do not wring the cloth hard. Press the water out with your palms, or roll the cloth in a towel to soak it up.

Dry in the shade, inside out

Turn the garment inside out and hang it in a shady, breezy spot. Direct sun fades dye, and the exposed side fades faster than the covered side, so the colour turns uneven. Avoid tumble dryers, because the heat can shrink cotton.

Iron on low, on the reverse

Iron on a low setting, on the back of the cloth. Crepe silk and satin silk need your iron's lowest setting. If needed, lay a thin cotton cloth between the iron and the batik. Make sure the cloth is clean first, because heat can set a stain into the fibres.

Store it dry, away from damp

Put batik away only when it is completely dry. Cloth stored damp can grow mould, and mould spots on batik are hard to remove without damaging the colour. This matters in a humid climate like Malaysia's, and in any damp cupboard elsewhere. Fold the cloth and keep it in a dry wardrobe away from damp walls, and open the wardrobe now and then to let air move.

Unsewn lengths of cloth, such as 4 metre lengths or 2.5 metre shirt lengths, keep better loosely folded than hung for months. Change the fold now and then so the crease does not set in one place.

Care at a glance

Task	Do	Avoid
Washing	By hand, cold water, mild soap	Hot water, bleach, washing machine
Soaking	Under 5 minutes	Long soaks
Drying	Shade, inside out	Strong sun, tumble dryer
Ironing	Low heat, on the reverse	High heat on the front
Storing	Fully dry, folded	Damp cupboards

Ask about a specific piece

If you are unsure how to care for a particular fabric or garment, ask us on WhatsApp at +60 12-679 7137, or visit the shop at Bazar Buluh Kubu, open Saturday to Thursday from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. The D'Rose batik wash and our batik fabrics are in the catalogue.