Uniqlo bows Indonesian 'Batik Motif' collection

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Jun 21, 2016

The Japanese retail giant has launched a capsule collection of items featuring modernised motifs from Indonesian Batik, a traditional textile included on the UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity in 2009.

Owned by Fast Retailing, the Uniqlo line marks the second program in the retailer's Factory Worker Empowerment Project, which commenced in 2015. This specific collection will see parts of the sales go to educational assistance for the employees working in Fast Retailing’s affiliated factories in Indonesia. 

The 'Batik Motif Collection' features traditional batik patterns that are deeply rooted in Indonesian life. There are seven items ranging from men’s and women’s shirts to dresses in a "light and comfortable material idea for summer months," said Uniqlo in a statement.  Uniqlo jointly developed the original batik motifs with guidance from the Indonesian Batik Foundation and crafted modern designs and silhouettes for global sale.

The first Factory Worker Empowerment project helped female workers in sewing factories in Bangladesh, through the production of a women’s line featuring traditional Bangladesh clothing motifs. A portion of sales from this line was used for educational programs in such areas as nutrition, hygiene and health management, providing factory workers with proper knowledge to improve their health and morale.

The education project is expected to run for about three years, and reach around 12,000 people, said Uniqlo.