By Hendra Utama, Senior Auditor at LPPOM
Not many people know that the batik-making process can involve animal-derived ingredients. If not carefully examined, a beautiful piece of batik cloth could contain elements that are not in accordance with halal principles. This has implications for the validity of our ‘maghdah’ prayers. We must not let our prayers be rejected by Allah just because we wear clothing contaminated with impurity.
Behind the batik cloth we often wear with pride lies a long story steeped in cultural, historical, and even spiritual values. Batik is more than just a motif or fashion trend—it is a manifestation of ancestral heritage that is integral to the lives of Indonesian people, from the kingdom era to the modern era. It’s no wonder that in 2009, UNESCO designated it as an intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia, and since then, October 2 has been celebrated as National Batik Day.
However, as public awareness of halal and thayyib consumption grows, questions are beginning to arise: what about the halal status of clothing products, such as batik? Is it possible that the fabric we wear every day—which undergoes a lengthy process of dyeing, waxing, and washing—contains elements from non-halal animals?
Batik: Heritage, Symbol, and Cultural Evolution
Batik is more than just a beautifully patterned fabric—it is a long narrative of a nation’s civilization. From the Majapahit era to the spread of Islam in the archipelago, batik has become a symbol of status, beauty, and local wisdom. Initially, batik was worn only by the royal court. However, over time, around the 18th century, batik began to permeate the lives of ordinary people and become a hereditary tradition.
Etymologically, “batik” comes from the Javanese words: ‘amba’ (to write) and ‘titik’ (dot). The combination of the two represents the art of drawing with dots and lines using hot wax on cloth.
The production technique is also unique: known as wax-resist dyeing, which uses wax as a color barrier. The motifs are fused with Indonesian cultural identity, particularly on the island of Java. However, other accounts suggest that batik was initially found not only in Java but also in Sulawesi.
Scientists hypothesize that batik’s journey in Indonesia went through an evolutionary process. Ancient batik, considered the precursor to modern batik, has been discovered in several locations. For example, a simbut cloth found in West Java. This cloth has a red background with a central motif of lines that are left white or undyed. Another example is lurik batik found in Tuban, alongside Pio puang, a long-sleeved batik from Sulawesi.
During the colonial period, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) introduced factory-made batik, also known as printed batik—later referred to as stamped batik—using copper rollers to print patterns onto fabric. During the Japanese occupation, hand-drawn batik was retained.
There are apparent differences between the two. In terms of appearance, stamped batik is more precise, symmetrical, and uniform in its design. Hand-drawn batik, on the other hand, is considered more sacred, and the results are unique depending on the craftsman. Even with the same pattern, executed by the same person at different times, the results will likely be different. This is especially true when other people are involved in the work.
The materials used to produce hand-drawn batik consist of unbleached cotton, rayon, or silk, as well as wax and dyes (natural or synthetic). The tool used is a canting (a copper tool with small holes) to apply hot wax to the fabric. Various sizes are used for fine details or bold lines.
In addition, brushes are used to fill large areas with wax. Supporting equipment includes a pan and a small stove used to melt the wax, as well as a wooden frame (wangangan) to stretch the fabric during the batik process.
Other materials used include boiling water to remove the wax after the dyeing process is complete. Fixing agents, such as soda ash or alum, are used to bind the color to the fabric. Salt and vinegar act as natural color enhancers. Limewater also acts as a natural bleach or to brighten specific colors.
The process of making hand-drawn batik begins with “nyungging,” which involves drawing the motif on a sheet of paper. “njaplak,” or “tracing,” which consists in transferring the motif onto the fabric. “ngolowong,” which involves applying wax to the fabric using a canting (tracing tool), and “ngiseni,” which consists in filling in the prepared motif with the canting.
The next step is “nyolet,” which involves coloring the most visible parts of the motif, such as flowers. “mopok,” which consists in covering the already-drawn areas with wax, followed by “nembok,” which involves covering the base of the fabric that is not to be colored. “ngelir,” which consists in dyeing the entire fabric. “nglorod,” which involves diluting the wax with boiling water. “ngrentesi,” which consists of dotting the main lines of the ornament with a smaller, finer canting, so the dots appear neater.
The next step is “nyumri,” which involves re-covering some areas with wax. “nyoja” consists of dipping the fabric in sogan or brown (a typical color of Jogja or Solo batik), and “nglorod” involves diluting the wax with boiling water.
Speaking of motifs, there are several that are very well-known. Take the parang and kawung motifs, for example. Developed by the royal court, these motifs have symbolic meanings associated with the royal court. The parang motif symbolizes power, and the kawung motif symbolizes physical and spiritual balance.
Other popular motifs with symbolic meanings include sido asih, which signifies a life filled with compassion or continuous love; mega mendung, which means patience or the ability to control one’s emotions; and sekar jagad, which represents the diversity of life on earth.
Why is Batik Subject to Halal Certification?
To create a piece of hand-drawn batik, various materials and tools are required: unbleached cloth, a canting (canting), wax (batik wax), dyes, and even a small pan for melting the wax. But what is rarely realized is that behind all these materials, there are potential animal elements hidden, which raises an important question: can batik be guaranteed halal?
Since the enactment of the Halal Product Assurance Act (UU JPH) and its derivative regulations, clothing has been included in the category of consumer goods that require halal certification if the product originates from or contains animal elements. This regulation will take effect on October 17, 2021, and will be fully effective on October 17, 2026.
To accommodate this regulation, LPPOM has launched the Halal On 30 program, which can be accessed through bit.ly/HalalOn30. In this program, business owners will be guided through the complete certification process in just 30 minutes.
In addition to clothing, other types of consumer goods that require halal certification include head coverings, accessories, household health supplies, household appliances, Muslim prayer items, and product packaging.
Why is it important to verify the halal status of batik? The answer lies in the critical points in the production process—from the textile material, dyes, and wax, to supporting processes such as sizing and desizing.
• Warp Yarn Sizing
One of the crucial initial stages is the warp yarn sizing process. In this process, the yarn is coated with starch to enhance the strength of the weave. This starch can be derived from various sources, including gelatin, which is often obtained from animal collagen. This is where the vulnerability arises—because without clear source information, the potential for non-compliance with halal principles is unavoidable.
Natural starches include: tapioca, cornstarch, potato starch, wheat, protein starches such as glue, gelatin, and casein, various gums, modified starches, and dextrin. Synthetic starches include: polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), acrylics, cellulose derivatives such as CMC, hydroxyl ethyl cellulose, and methyl cellulose, or starch derivatives such as starch esters.
Among these types, animal protein is the most critical. Gelatin from animals not slaughtered according to Islamic law, or glue made from leftover pig bones and skin, poses a risk of contamination of the batik-making process with impure elements. Although only used in the process and not as part of the final product, according to halal and thayyib principles, the presence of impure materials renders the product impure. The term “munajis” refers to something originally pure becoming impure. Impure materials also prevent a product from being certified halal.
• Desizing Process
Methods can include soaking, the use of acids or alkalis, oxidizing agents, and enzymes. The first four methods pose relatively minimal risks to halal certification. However, the use of enzymes presents new challenges. If the enzymes used are derived from animal pancreases or microbial fermentation based on haram animal materials, the halal status of the batik becomes questionable. This applies even if the enzymes are only used as hydrolyzing agents, because halal standards require the entire process chain to be free from haram or impure elements.
• Batik Wax
Wax is a mixture of waxes that serves to hold color in fabric during the dyeing process. Wax is generally made from a combination of paraffin, beeswax, resin, and sometimes animal fat. This animal fat raises serious questions. Without clear source information, the potential use of pork fat or non-halal animals in batik wax cannot be ignored. Moreover, many small-scale batik artisans use mixed materials without clear labels or origins.
Weaving Halal Values into Cultural Heritage
Given this critical aspect, halal batik certification is not merely an administrative legality, but a commitment to the integrity of cultural and spiritual values. In the future, this certification process could trigger the development of a halal raw material supply chain in the traditional textile industry. In this way, batik will not only be a symbol of Indonesian beauty but also a cultural product that fulfills the spiritual needs and ethics of global Muslim consumers.
Halal certification will require full traceability—from thread to dye, from wax to washing liquid. We should not be suspicious of every piece of batik worn, but instead recognize that culture can also be part of the national halal system. Amidst changing times, batik has become a meeting point between ancestral traditions, compliance with Islamic law, and the demands of the fashion industry. (HU)
Source: https://halalmui.org/jurnal-halal/174/
