Craft Batik

Craft Batik was established in 1973 in Teluk Bahang on Penang island, making it the first batik factory on the island. It has continued producing batik by traditional resist-dye methods -- covering sections of cloth with a dye-resistant substance before coloring -- at a time when most batik fabric is machine-decorated, positioning itself around handmade production by its own artists.

The workshop's best-known associated artist is the late Tan Thean Song (1946-2017), who trained at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art in Singapore and won prizes for batik works including second prize at the 1969 Salon Malaysia for "Flying Kite" (now held by Malaysia's National Art Gallery) and first prize in the 1964 Malayan Young Artists competition. He served as the pioneer Chief Resident Artist and Master Trainer at the Arts Village in Teluk Bahang, mentoring other artists' styles, and in 1987 organized a six-month batik exhibition at Penang's Rasa Sayang Hotel.

Craft Batik's current catalogue includes silk and rayon scarves and pareo, block-printed and hand-drawn tablecloths, dresses, DIY patchwork sets, and a dedicated line of hand-drawn paintings attributed to Tan Thean Song, sold alongside the workshop's own production.