HERE'S one business that need not worry about competition: Batik Desamas. Awg Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim is Brunei's sole batik producer and although he faces no local rivals, he wishes to see batik emerge from its tiny cottage industry shell into a sizeable sector.
It is, however, undeniably difficult to drive a batik industry into a recognisable at par with the lucrative batik markets of Malaysia and Indonesia when you are going it alone.
Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim started getting acquainted with batik painting in 2000, but due to his lack of knowledge in batik production he ceased his ambitious operation just a few years later. The attempt, nevertheless, showed him a sign that there was something in the venture that consumers would appreciate. During the initial period of his foray into batik production, he was invited to exhibit his art in a garment exhibition in Tokyo.
"I felt small next to the Malaysian and Indonesian businesses. But, surprisingly, a lot of Singaporeans and other foreign buyers were visiting my humble booth and some even bought my designs."
Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim rekindled his love for batik painting in 2005 and is now actively marketing his art to local consumers. During a trade exhibition, Pehin Kapitan Lela Diraja Awang Goh King Chin invited Zainal to set up shop at his building, the Sumbangsih Mulia Building in the Beribi industrial estate.
Batik Desamas is now the designated platform for Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim to showcase his art and sell them to batik lovers.
"Brunei needs to create the industry for batik, but our batik needs to seek its own identity. Our designs must be distinct to that of the Javanese and Malaysian batiks," Zainal said, adding that at the moment, for commercial interest, his batiks are Malaysian inspired infused slightly with Bruneian designs such as the air muleh and Simpur flower.
"I will slowly try ... to introduce my batik towards Bruneian motifs."
He has established his trademark by using a part opaque, part translucent cotton material.
Raw materials imported from China are not cheap, so he cannot afford to sell his art at a lower price. Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim imports cotton and silk from China because the materials available in Brunei are not suitable for batik painting.
Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim feels that it is his responsibility to teach the art of batik making to Bruneians and other interested groups. At the moment, he teaches tuition classes and according to him, most of his students are locals.
"I am trying to understand the Brunei market and I want to teach them the batik-making process in order to develop human resource for the batik industry."
In terms of the local market, he is confident that he is able to survive but does not have the capacity to develop bigger.
"Put simply, I can create the market and industry and I know Brunei has the potential (for batik making). However, the industry needs financial backing."
At the moment, to realise his dreams for the budding industry, Zainal is grooming a few people to the art.
The creative batik painter is able to churn out 10-15 garments a month (each garment measures two to four metres) and he caters to personal requests as well. Zainal is planning to introduce batik for interiors such as upholstery and curtains.
For a boost to Batik Desama's bottom line, Zainal looks forward to "Hari Raya (which) is usually a more profitable period for my business, much like other businesses in Brunei."
The Brunei Times
http://www.bt.com.bn/business/2007/08/11/designing_nascent_batik_trade
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