Brunei Handicrafts on Show in Bali

BRUNEI handicrafts were on display at the Asean Textile Exhibition here in Bali in the country's bid to showcase its traditions and prowess in folk handicraft.

Showcased at the Bali International Convention Centre, three Bruneianentrepreneurs who were flown to the tourist island courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT) have been minding the Brunei exhibition stall since Wednesday.

A senior official from the MoFAT's Department of International Trade who agreed to speak to The Brunei Times on the condition of anonymity said that the ministry collaborated with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports to promote Brunei's local handmade products during the exhibition.

"We're giving opportunities to local SMEs to market their products here as they would be able to promote their products through the exhibition. At the same time, they would be able to establish business network with producers from Malaysia and Singapore for example," said the official.

"The local SMEs could also use the exhibition as a platform to share and listen to experiences from fellow producers in region."

Asmad Hj Umar of Asnika Enterprise, one of the exhibitors, has made a name for himself in producing quality traditional fabric which is highly sought after in Brunei.

Asmad said the exhibition was an opportunity to educate the community of Asean on Brunei's identity through the art of weaving.

"Although the artworks (have some semblance) of Malaysian and Indonesian influences, Brunei's design has an identity and motif of its own, which makes it unique to the eyes of those who appreciate the art of handicraft making," said Asmad.

He said a number of delegates from various countries have visited his booth, as well as VVIPs which included Indonesia's first lady.

Sharing the booth with Asnika was another local firm Batik Desamas, owned by batik designer ZainalAbidin Ibrahim.

Eyeing overseas markets, Zainal was hoping to seize the opportunity to promote his Batik products through new channels knowing that delegates from the US and Brazil would be visiting.

Zainal Abidin recently developed an innovative system that will allow his batik to be mass produced in order to capitalise on the regional and possibly global market.

The innovation, he said, is "Digital Batik", in which he applies advanced software and engineering todigitalise his hand-drawn work, which can then be replicated to produce a whole range of Batik products from apparels to bedsheets. A prototype of a few of his products were displayed on the Brunei booth.

Meanwhile, Hjh Robiah Hj Ampal, designer and proprietorof woven Brunei handicrafts (under her company Hikmah Enterprise) showcased her signature sinjang, a cloth Malay males normally wear around their waists to complement the national costume, baju melayu.

Hj Robiah, who has participated in a number of expos in various countries over the years, said that the textile fair was an opportunity to not just promote her products, but also to get inspiration from foreign exhibitors on new design ideas for her future designs.

Unlike the trade expos whichshe has participated in Malaysia in recent years however, Hj Robiah said that the current exhibitionhas not gained much consumer traffic.

"The Summit is held near here, hence the security has been very tight around this compound, and the venue is not open to the public except for Asean delegates and officials with passes," she said.

The exhibition was aimed to broaden the visitors' insight on the cultural similarities between the Aseannations through the art of hand woven textiles. It was also a one-stop-shopping avenue for the delegates of the Asean Summit looking to bring home quality souveniers from the Southeast Asian countries.

Through handwoven products, the exhibition showcases the diversity of the Asean's cultural heritage and also the similarities of national history, culture and the community of the region.

Around 150 textile exhibitors from Asean countries participated in the exhibition, with more than 1,200 handcrafted products being showcased on the exhibition floor.

The Brunei Times
http://www.bt.com.bn/business-national/2011/11/20/brunei-handicrafts-show-bali

The Traditional Baju Melayu, kain Sinjang

Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam - Brunei-made Sinjang, a short-sarong worn over the men's traditional "Baju Melayu", is usually made from a woven material that still preserves its traditional make with the Brunei motifs as its design. However, a local entrepreneur has introduced a new innovative idea for the sinjang, by producing a Brunei batik sinjang made from cotton material. He is Awang Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim, owner of Batik Desamas, that is known for producing Brunei batik materials for men's and women's wear.

Awang Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim first came up with the idea to produce Brunei batik sinjang using cotton material, after receiving feedbacks and encouragement from his customers especially the men who want to keep the sinjang with the Brunei traditional cultural attire, that suits the person who wear it, and that is practical and easy to maintain compared to other kinds of fabric such as silk and woven material. He still preserves the Brunei design in producing his batik by using the same motifs found on the Brunei woven cloths apart from experimenting on the use of local plants for his designs.

According to Awang Zainal Abidin Hj Ibrahim, he received encouraging response from the local customers whenever he showed the samples of the cotton material with the new designs he created for the sinjang. Many of his customers urged him to increase his production with further improved material and design quality. He adopted the new idea for the sinjang as it is something that reflects the beauty of the Brunei traditional culture.

Awang Zainal Abidin said he felt proud when the batik with the Brunei traditional designs he produced were welcomed not only by the local community but also at the international market. He began promoting the Brunei batik sinjang through Expos and Art Exhibitions in and outside the country and had also marketed them two months ago. He is currently producing the designs for the Brunei Batik Sinjang using the digital technology that does not need too much manpower.

Aside from that, he combines his skill as a batik designer with the computerised technique that has assisted him greatly in producing his new product in the required quantity. Batik sinjang costs 60 dollars and above a piece and are available at the Batik Desamas at the Sumbangsih Mulia Building. Currently, Awang Zainal Abidin says he puts out about 15 to 20 designs on 100 metres of cloth, from which he can produce about 30 to 40 pieces of material for the sinjang.

source :

http://m.melayuonline.com/eng/news/read/12132/brunei-made-sinjang-a-traditional-baju-melayu