Artisans, textile experts and ikat (traditional woven fabric) lovers last week gathered in Jakarta for the three-day 2019 World Ikat Textiles Symposium (WITS). The opening ceremony on August 23 was officiated by Mufidah Jusuf Kalla, wife of Indonesian vice president Jusuf Kalla. WITS has been hosted by the United Kingdom, India, Malaysia and Thailand before.
Organised by the World Crafts Council-Asia Pacific Region, the Jakarta event involved the ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA), Jakarta Textile Museum, Noesa, Indonesia for Natural Dye (Warlami), Indonesia Traditional Fabric Association (Perkumpulan Wastra Indonesia) and the Indonesia Handicraft Exporter and Producer Association (ASEPHI).Artisans, textile experts and ikat (traditional woven fabric) lovers last week gathered in Jakarta for the three-day 2019 World Ikat Textiles Symposium (WITS). The opening ceremony on August 23 was officiated by Mufidah Jusuf Kalla, wife of Indonesian vice president Jusuf Kalla. WITS has been hosted by the United Kingdom, India, Malaysia and Thailand before.#
Participants came from India, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Uzbekhistan, Timor Leste, France and Mexico, according to a report in an Indonesian newspaper.
Experts, artisans and activists spoke on efforts to protect the authenticity of ikat to innovations to make ikat more appealing to the younger generation. (DS)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India