Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim Brunei's Batik Designer

"My main interest in doing this kind of business, is not just to survive, but to give contribution to the people and society on what I'm doing" -Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim

Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim is the sole proprietor of the batik desamas and one of the leap grant receiver who has given the opportunity to expand his business from BEDB (Brunei Economic Development Board).

Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim Brunei's Batik Designer

He was a teacher, an artist, a graphic designer before when he started doing the batik business. Fueled by the love and motivation of his family and friends, he started doing batik in the year 2000.

How do you describe your background?

I worked in an advertising company before. I am an artist, I do teachings in school. I worked also in Kuala Lumpur before as a Graphic Designer.
What made you decide to do batik as a business?

The basic thing about batik is I learned it from my own, well it's also because of my background as an artist and designer I guess, that is why when my friends saw some batik designs in Malaysia and Indonesia, they asked me to do batik here in Brunei, but it's not that easy, because you need to consider a lot of things, until I met one guy who are looking for a designer who can do batik, and I am then looking for a team, and then we merged, that was how we started

Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim Brunei's Batik Designer

Who motivated you to do the business? Or do you have any mentors?
My friends, they helped me to remain still on what I am doing, and of course through the motivation and love of my family.
What were the major challenges that you face in the process of starting up your business?

During the time I started, the biggest challenge then was my financial resources; I almost give up doing the business, but my friends helped me to come back, they gave me money to start again the business. And that is what keeps me moving until now.
One of the challenges I am currently facing right now is on the marketing side, how we promote and market our products.

Brunei Batik

How do you describe the support from your family?

My family doesn't rely on my income; they are the one who's supporting me.
How do you promote your business?

Currently we are using word of mouth to promote our products, also conducting demonstration to various institutional organization and by attending exhibitions. Promoting product on big scale need some solid planning and teamwork, and I am working to build a team to come together on common vision.
Where do you see your business in the next 5 years?

Batik is my expertise, so definitely my vision is to bring Brunei's Batik to international market. I am planning foreign collaboration to set up production units. International batik textile is my vision for next 5 years time.

Brunei Batik

Brunei Batik

Whom you will crown the success of your vision?
It will always be the teamwork, because I cannot work alone, I cannot stand alone, there will always be people right behind you who will support you whatever you do.
Do you have any competitor here in Brunei doing the same thing?

Yes. There are also other people here in Brunei doing and designing batik. But still, I don't see anything wrong about that. For me, there is no competition here, because I would like to see more creative people who can do and design batik as well.

Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim Painting

Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim Painting

Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim Painting

What kind of advice would you like to give to the society and to the new entrepreneurs who wants to start their own business?
First, I would like to encourage more of the Bruneian to support the batik productions here in Brunei. I would like them to support and market our own local product. And also, I would like to see more batik designers and batik industry here in Brunei. That is actually my vision, that is my I am really trying my very best to teach others so that at least they can understand what is batik. And to the new entrepreneurs, I want them to create something that will give us our own identity, something that is really for Bruneian.
Every entrepreneur has a story to tell, there are stories of both success and failures, stories of how you deal with and overcome all the challenges in life just to be able to reach your goal and vision for the business.

Indeed, Mr. Zainal Abidin has really come very far in his passion for batik business.. In spite of all his hardships in keeping his business grow, he managed and remained still in designing batik

He always make it a point that all his work come from his heart, from his desire to inspire and motivate others.

It's not basically how successful you are right now, it's about how you inspire and motivate other people towards reaching their dreams.

Brunei Batik

Brunei Batik

Brunei Batik

Brunei Batik

source :

http://www.brudirect.com/world/sme-s-corner/10238-brunei-s-batik-designer-mr-zainal-abidin

Learning to Make Batik From Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim Master Craftsman

A TOTAL of 32 Year 11 students from Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Secondary School, accompanied by their teachers, made an educational visit to Desamas Batik factory yesterday, where they were given an opportunity to produce their own Batik.

At Desamas Batik, they met local batik master craftsman, Brunei's batik designer, Haji Zainal Abidin bin Hj Ibrahim who taught the students how to utilise heated candles to wax their drawings, using a toolset called “canting”. Before “chanting”, the students designed their “motif” (artistic drawings) on the four-metre long fabric using pencil.

The group also learnt about Haji Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim’s research on using natural ingredients such as local plants as opposed to synthetic ingredients for the batik.

According to one of the teachers, Rose, the practical trip was very relevant for their Art as well as English classes. Concerning their Art classes, the trip gave the students a chance to practice and experience the making of batik as well as meeting the master craftsman.

It also provided an opportunity for their English classes where the school’s English Department had recorded an interview with Hj Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim for their English listening practices.

“I like to do this kind of things with the students, because it gives them something that is more real and practical. It also gives them confidence in what they can do and the batik they produced will be valued.”

Rose added that the students have already started doing their batik design at school, thus their trip to Batik Desamas was a valuable experience. She stressed that it is important for the students to explore what is happening in Brunei rather than relying mostly on stocked recordings at the school.

In an interview, Hj Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim was delighted to host the workshop for the students at Batik Desamas. He believed that the batik making will not only enhance the creativity of the students but can also teach valuable lessons such as teamwork and coordination.

Brunei Students waxing Batik’s motive at Batik Desamas

Although the programme with students yesterday involved the usage of synthetic ingredients, Hj Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim believed that with the introduction of natural colours in the making of batik, more people will be attracted to purchase batik for its natural appeal.

He also emphasised that batik is a good medium to promote local identities through its motif or pattern designs.

Hj Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim is also providing a workshop on how to use natural resources for making batik at the Indonesian Embassy in Brunei Darussalam today (August 28) and tomorrow. He hoped that through the workshop, more people will be aware of the beauty of batik’s natural colours.

According to Rose, the top three students will be invited to attend the workshop. The students were selected by the school’s Art Department, based on their mid-year examination results and also how far they have progressed in preparing for their respective portfolios on batik.

Apart from making batik for local gowns, Batik Desamas is also trying to make batik for Kimono and other foreign traditional clothing. In his upcoming trip for an exhibition in Korea, Hj Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim will use natural colouring to demonstrate the process of making batik.

source :

http://borneobulletin.brunei-online.com.bn/?p=110722

Batik Maker, Export is Capital Intensive

A salesperson arranging the batik on display at Batik Desamas' booth at the Made in Brunei Expo at the Airport Mall recently. Picture: BT/Al-Haadi Abu Bakar

A LOCAL batik textile company is seeking extra funds to expand into the export market after establishing itself here for many years.

Batik Desamas, the firm that has fused tradition with modern technology in its production of batik, is hoping to expand into the export market with additional funding from government sources.

The proprietor of Batik Desamas, Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim, said that he would not be able to meet global demand without additional financial assistance, even though the business has been export-ready for some time.

"The demand is there. The people out there now recognise Brunei's batik as one of the best in the industry, in terms of design," he said in an interview with The Brunei Times.

Batik Desamas is one of the several companies that is taking part in the "Made in Brunei" Expo at the Airport Mall.

Recently, Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim has been experimenting with new fabric, particularly a new type of cotton that has textural qualities akin to silk, and since then has drawn interest from his customers.

In addition, the textile has grabbed a lot of attention from tourists, particularly at its kiosk at Muara Port where international cruises dock.

But, with increased interest comes the challenge of supplying beyond his current capacity, which produces about 300 to 1,000 metres of Batik daily.

A pioneer in Brunei's batik scene, Brunei's Batik Designer, Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim had started hand-printing batik since 2000.

The Batik Designer said his business has been doing well in the local scene following its introduction of his Digital Batik system.

His Batik is well sought-after among participants in events and national occasions, such as the National Day celebration.

The system, developed by Zainal through financial assistance from the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) two years ago, applies advanced software and engineering to digitalise his hand-drawn work, which can then be replicated to produce a whole range of Batik products. 

The new system is aimed to allow mass production of his Batik designs, as traditional method of producing Batik is not enough to meet the global demand.

Production has been outsourced to Indonesia and recently, to South Korea, which according to Zainal, has drawn criticisms from some locals.

"Often, the mindset of Bruneians is that when we say that we outsource our production overseas, they made the assumption that we import our products," he said.

Zainal said he has been actively clarifying the misconception, adding that his approach is more cost-efficient, rather than having the whole business operations entirely in Brunei. In his current capacity, the cost of bringing the production facility to the Sultanate would be very expensive.

"A lot of successful companies out there, such as in America and South Korea, actually outsource their production to countries like China and the Philippines, and then export to the rest of the world," he explained.

He said his business model has a better value proposition than his competitors', which mainly focuses on selling imported Batik, as he has full control of design and production.

Brunei Times
http://www.bt.com.bn/2013/04/15/export-capital-intensive-batik-maker

Batik Art On The Decline Due to Poor Guidelines

Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim, local Brunei batik artists and textile designer during an interview with The Brunei Times. Picture: BT/Quratul-Ain Bandial

LOCAL art veteran Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim has bemoaned the state of the current batik art scene, saying it has stagnated due to lack of proper guidance and instruction for art students.

A pioneer in Brunei's batik scene, Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim , 62, has been very vocal about the dearth of talent to carry on the centuries-old tradition of batik painting, made famous by artists like Singaporean Sarkasi Said Tzee and Malaysian Ramsay Ong.

In an interview at his Beribi showroom, Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim  spoke about the current batik art exhibition at the Waterfront Gallery, which he called "disappointing".

While the exhibition starts off with works from some of the genre's greats - like Sarkasi said Tzee and Ramsay Ong - and even some of Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim's own paintings, he said the amateur works produced from a series of batik workshops for young artists lacked depth.

"What I saw is very disappointing - not much improvement... I look at student's work and nothing. I don't see any talent or something to be proud of."

"I can't blame the students, it is those who teach it who don't have pure knowledge, or are knowledgeable about the process of batik."

Producing batik is an arduous process which can take weeks, by melting wax on to the canvas before hand-dyeing it a series of colours to create the desired image or effect.

"I think it is their approach whether they are ignorant about the process of batik or don't really care about what is art," said Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim.

"Batik is a process of art and here I see no direction at all."

With more than 40 years of experience including a brief stint as a fine arts instructor at local university Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim  has vast experience in batik, from traditional methods to using digital tools to create motifs.

He said most art instructors in schools and workshops are not experienced enough to steer young talent.

"They just see, they just listen, take a one or two day workshop then start teaching people. This may be a good way to promote (batik artwork) but the proper way to do art is you must have a system and be disciplined."

"Of course art can be experimental you can be immersed in different elements. But you must be immersed in art, the proper technique of doing it. That is part of their failing that they cannot achieve quality."

The fact that the Waterfront Gallery exhibition does not display any recent batik paintings since 2004, speaks to the scarcity of quality local artwork, Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim  lamented.

"I went the other day and thought this is ridiculous work. If I was a teacher I would fail them."

He said there a few local veteran artists who, although may not use batik as their main medium, are well-versed in the genre and could offer much-needed guidance to students.

"We need to involve veteran artists so they can guide the young ones. These people (students) are creative but they need proper technique. So at the end they produce something subpar or has no meaning and it's a pity."

However, batik painting is a dying art not only in Brunei, but in the region as well. In the past five eyars, Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim  himself has largely moved away from batik painting and into commercial textile production as a batik apparel designer.

He has a traditional batik workshop in Solo, Indonesia where he produces his hand-made textiles, and send his digital motifs, created on Adobe Illustrator and other software, to be made in South Korea.

The veteran has participated in a number of international textile exhibitions, including the World Expos in China and South Korea, where he was able to attract the interest of international buyers.

"Most batik artists feel like there is no market for the paintings, so they move into textile batik design. It is a sad truth."

The Brunei Times.
http://www.bt.com.bn/2012/12/23/batik-art-decline-due-poor-guidelines