IKAT: DESIGNS, USES, REGIONAL TYPES, HOW IT IS MADE

IKAT

Tenun Ikat Lombok,

Ikat is a method of type-dying patterns onto thread before they are woven together. It is associated most with the Malay people of Nusa Tengarra (islands east of Bali in Indonesia, who still wear ikat in their ceremonial clothes and their everyday wear. The most well-known stuff—“selendang” (shawls), “selimut” (blankets), sarongs, burial clothes for the dead—comes from Sumba and Flores. Ikat is an Indonesian word that means “to bind.”

The word "ikat" come from the Indonesian word "mengikat", meaning to "tie or bind". Ikat methods are believed to have been invented over 2000 years ago in Vietnam and southern China and brought to Indonesia by the ancient Vietnamese Dongson culture. Styles and motifs vary from village to village and depend on the purpose of the item. In some places valuable pieces are given to brides as part of their dowry and valued pieces can only worn by people of high status. Some motifs are believed to have their origins among the Dongson people.

Ikat textiles has been used to clothe royalty on some islands for centuries. The Torajans of Sulawesi, the Sumbanese, the Bataks of northern Sumatra, the Dayaks of Kalimantan, and the peoples of Flores, Lembata, Timor, Savu, Solor, Adonara, Lamalera and the Tanimbar Islands have long produced distinctive patterns using the ikat technique. Books have been written about the ikat cloths of individual island regions.[Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

In contemporary Indonesia, many people wear factory-produced batik or simple plaid fabrics in everyday life. While ikat is also manufactured in factories, particularly in Java and other production centers, these machine-made versions rarely achieve the depth, texture, and precision of handwoven textiles. Handmade ikat continues to be valued not only for its superior craftsmanship but also for the cultural knowledge and tradition embedded in each piece.

Making Ikat

Woman making ikat weave in Indonesia in 1952

Both ikat and batik are 'resist-dye' methods. In batik, patterned sections of fabric are finely drawn or stamped with wax to resist dye. In ikat, pre-woven yarns are tightly bound in patterns with palm fibres so that they will not absorb colours when immersed in dye baths. Ikat is similar to the 'tie-dye' method commonly used to create T-shirt patterns in the United States and elsewhere. Once the wax or palm fibres are removed, the specific pattern appears, contrasting with the areas of the piece that were left unbound. [Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

Ikat has traditionally been made by women with handspun cotton colored with dyes made from local plants and minerals, often featuring brown and indigo hues. These days more manufactured dyes and threads are being used but traditional methods are still prized.

The first step in making ikat is spinning the thread with a spindle. The thread is often stiffened and strengthened by giving it a bath in roasted maize of grated cassava. Blue dyes have traditionally come from the indigo plant. Red dyes on Sumba have traditionally come from the bark and roots of the kombu tree. Purple is produced by dying with indigo and then with kombu

The threads are dipped in dye. Sections that are not dyed are bound together with a dye-resistant fiber. Separate drying is done for each color. The process requires great skill because the dyer works out in advance were the dye will appear for a design before it is even woven. After dying the cloth is woven with a hand loom.

Ikat Dyeing

Ikat textiles are distinguished by the fact that their colors and patterns are created before the cloth is actually woven. This technique is widely practiced in Bali, eastern Indonesia, Sulawesi, and the interior regions of Kalimantan and Borneo. The resulting fabrics vary greatly in style, from the finely detailed and subtle designs of Flores to the bold, highly pictorial textiles of Sumba. In these regions, artisans carefully bind sections of the warp threads according to predetermined patterns. Even before the threads are placed into the first dye bath, these bindings define the shapes and motifs that will ultimately emerge in the finished cloth. [Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

Dyes play a crucial role not only in the appearance of ikat textiles but also in their social and symbolic meanings. Among the most important dyes are a deep, muted blue derived from the indigo plant and a rich rust-red obtained from the roots of the Morinda citrifolia tree. These colors may be layered to produce darker shades such as deep wine tones or near black. Other natural substances, including mud, safflower, and dyes from plants like Cudrania, are also used to expand the palette. In many communities, indigo is believed to possess powerful, even dangerous, qualities and is traditionally handled only by older, experienced women. Similarly, the red dye from morinda carries social significance; in some regions such as Sumba, its use is historically associated with nobility. Achieving deep, saturated colors requires repeated immersion in dye baths—sometimes ten to fifteen times for indigo alone—making richly colored textiles especially prized.

Banton Burial Cloth (AD 1200-1300 AD), the oldest existing example of warp ikat in Southeast Asia at the National Museum of the Philippines; The cloth was found in the sacred Ipot cave of Romblon, Philippines; It is made from abacá, a species of endemic banana

The process of creating ikat is both intricate and time-intensive. After the warp threads are initially bound and dyed, they are unbound, then rebound in different sections and dyed again to build up multiple colors and complex patterns. This cycle may be repeated many times until the desired design is fully realized. Only after all dyeing is complete are the threads placed on the loom and woven into cloth. In places such as Sumba, where some of the most elaborate ikat are produced, particularly complex pieces may take years to complete—local accounts even speak of textiles that required up to a decade of careful, patient work.

Ikat Designs and Symbols

Many ikats contain symbols from animist iconographies, such as plant forms, animals, amphibians, and human figures representing ancestors. Motifs have been borrowed from many sources, and ikat pieces contain images from encounters with the Indians, Dutch, Chinese and Portuguese. Examples include ancient Indian trade cloth patterns, Chinese dragons, heraldic lions from colonial coins and seals, and European floral designs featuring vases and winged cherubs. Ikat designs vary widely across Indonesia, with each region developing distinctive motifs that reflect local beliefs, social structures, and relationships with the natural and spiritual worlds. These patterns are not merely decorative—they often carry deep symbolic meanings and are tied to ritual use, ancestry, and identity. [Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

In Sumba, ikat textiles are among the most visually striking and symbolically rich. Designs frequently include bold, figurative imagery such as horses, riders, deer, crocodiles, and even human figures. Horses, in particular, are associated with wealth, status, and power, while crocodiles may symbolize ancestral spirits or connections to the underworld. Some cloths also feature skull trees or scenes linked to headhunting traditions of the past. These motifs are often arranged in large, symmetrical compositions, giving Sumbanese ikat a dramatic, almost narrative quality. Local motifs from East Sumba include crayﬁsh, crocodiles, roosters, peacocks, birds, and heraldic lions (borrowed from the Dutch) often featured on the borders of ikat clothes.

On the island of Flores, ikat designs tend to be more geometric and restrained, though still highly sophisticated. Patterns often consist of repeating diamonds, stripes, and abstracted floral or vegetal forms. In certain areas, such as Ende or Sikka, textiles incorporate delicate, finely detailed bands that require great precision in tying and dyeing. These motifs may symbolize fertility, harmony, or social balance, and the subtlety of the designs reflects a different aesthetic preference from the bold imagery of Sumba.

Man’s Shoulder Cloth (Hinggi), early 20th century; cotton; warp ikat; East Sumba, Kingdom of Kapunduk

In Bali, ikat is commonly seen in the form of geringsing, a rare double-ikat textile produced in the village of Tenganan. These cloths are known for their complex, muted patterns, often in reddish-brown, black, and cream tones. Motifs include stylized floral shapes, crosses, and grid-like arrangements believed to have protective, even magical properties. Traditionally, geringsing textiles are worn during important ceremonies and are thought to guard the wearer against illness or misfortune.

In Kalimantan and the interior regions of Borneo, ikat designs created by Dayak communities often feature highly stylized human and spirit figures, as well as intricate curvilinear patterns. These motifs are deeply connected to spiritual beliefs, with certain designs believed to hold protective power or to represent ancestors and deities. Some textiles were historically associated with headhunting rituals and were thought to possess spiritual potency.

In Sulawesi, particularly among the Toraja people, ikat motifs often reflect cosmological ideas and social hierarchy. Designs may include buffalo, which are central to ceremonial life and symbolize wealth and prestige, as well as geometric patterns representing order and balance. The arrangement and complexity of motifs can indicate the status of the wearer or the importance of the occasion for which the cloth is used.

High Quality Ikats

High-quality ikat textiles are powerful markers of prestige, reflecting both the skill of their makers and the status of those who wear them. In many regions, these cloths clearly signal social rank and identity. The vividly pictorial ikat of Sumba, for example, showcase remarkable technical ability and creative imagination, while also drawing on local animist beliefs and, at times, motifs borrowed from outside influences. Traditional Sumbanese designs often express a dualistic worldview, with mirrored compositions that repeat side-to-side and end-to-end, resembling symmetrical inkblot patterns. [Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

Some scholars have suggested that the large men’s cloths of Sumba, known as hinggi, visually represent the structure of society itself. Their layouts can be read as symbolic maps of villages, with houses arranged on either side of a central open space where priests and leaders mediate between opposing forces. In this way, the textile becomes more than clothing—it serves as a conceptual model of social organization and cosmological balance.

A finely made ikat is distinguished by the clarity and precision of its motifs. The best examples show sharp, well-defined patterns with minimal bleeding between dyed areas, demonstrating careful control throughout the binding and dyeing process. As with many Indonesian art forms, complexity is highly valued: the more intricate the design and the richer the combination of colors, the more esteemed the cloth. In some cases, ikat techniques are combined with other forms of weaving to create especially elaborate and visually striking textiles.

Although ikat is produced in various parts of the world, including regions such as Guatemala, Indonesian ikat is often regarded as unparalleled in the sharpness and intricacy of its designs. Textiles from the island of Savu are particularly admired for their finely detailed floral motifs, which frequently symbolize specific clans and lineages, further emphasizing the close connection between textile art and social identity.

Popularity of Ikat Among Tourists and Foreigners

During the 1980s and 1990s, ikat textiles experienced a surge in popularity among tourists and international collectors. In response, many people from Indonesia’s outer islands began bringing their woven cloths to Bali, where access to foreign markets was greater. Balinese entrepreneurs—long known for their creativity and skill in adapting artistic traditions—played a key role in this shift, transforming traditional ikat fabrics into fashionable garments tailored to international tastes. At the same time, weavers from regions such as Sumba, Timor, Flores, and Savu began experimenting with new designs specifically intended to appeal to foreign buyers. [Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

This transformation was especially pronounced in Sumba, an island already celebrated for its bold, pictorial ikat and its history of incorporating outside influences. In the mid-1990s, one Sumbanese artist even created a “world leaders” series of ikat textiles, featuring figures such as then–U.S. president Bill Clinton. Such innovations reflected both a responsiveness to global interest and a willingness to expand the visual language of traditional weaving.

Earlier, in the 1980s, another Sumbanese innovator introduced a new approach to textile design by creating narrative cloths that told a story from top to bottom. This marked a departure from the traditional bi-symmetrical format, where motifs mirrored each other across the cloth. These “story cloths” quickly became popular with tourists and collectors, and over time they were even incorporated into local ceremonial contexts, including bridal exchanges and funerary rites.

The emergence of these narrative designs has also been linked to broader social changes. The weaver credited with pioneering this style belonged to one of the first generations in Sumba to gain literacy during the 1960s and 1970s. Exposure to reading and writing influenced how he conceptualized events, encouraging a more linear sense of time with clear beginnings and endings. This shift in perspective was reflected in his textiles, which began to depict sequences of action and storytelling in ways that differed from earlier, more symbolic and cyclical designs.

Uses of Ikats

In eastern Indonesia, ikat textiles play a central role in systems of exchange, particularly in marriage. Across the region—sometimes referred to as the “exchange archipelago”—a bride’s family traditionally presents textiles to the groom’s family, who in turn reciprocate with valuable goods such as water buffalo, horses, and gold jewelry. These exchanges are not merely economic but deeply symbolic, reinforcing alliances between families. In some communities, a woman’s ability to produce high-quality ikat and other woven fabrics is an important factor in her marriageability. At the same time, daughters are highly valued, as the textiles they create contribute significantly to the wealth and prestige their families receive through bridewealth. [Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

In Sumba, the importance of ikat extends into mortuary practices. It is not uncommon for dozens of textiles—sometimes as many as one hundred—to be wrapped around a deceased individual. The motifs on the outermost cloth are believed to identify the person to their ancestors in the afterlife, ensuring proper recognition and acceptance. For this reason, families use the finest textiles available in burial ceremonies. The relationship between the living and the dead is considered ongoing and influential, and honoring the deceased appropriately is thought to affect the well-being of those who remain.

These enduring beliefs help sustain high standards in textile production. The cultural significance attached to ikat—especially in rites of passage such as marriage and death—creates a strong incentive to maintain quality, skill, and symbolic integrity. As a result, even as textiles are produced for broader markets, their ceremonial importance continues to shape how they are made and valued.

More broadly, Indonesians tend to avoid wearing inferior versions of their traditional clothing, particularly in meaningful contexts. One young women from Sumba said: to “not wear our finest tradition cloth at funerals or weddings would be like saying that we don’t know where we come from. Like saying that we don’t know whom our parents are. This would be a great shame upon us, no matter how modern we may think that we are. No matter if we have converted to being Christians.”

Ikat Garments and Headclothes for Men

Large, blanket-like ikat textiles are commonly worn by men wrapped around the lower body, sometimes accompanied by a matching cloth draped over the shoulder. Ikat is also used for men’s head coverings, which are worn with pride and styled in a variety of distinctive ways. For women, ikat appears primarily as tubular skirts and shawls, forming an essential part of everyday and ceremonial dress. [Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

Men’s ikat cloths are generally referred to in Indonesian as selimut, meaning “blanket,” though each region has its own specific names and variations. These garments are wrapped in different styles but typically fall to about knee length. In places such as Timor, Sumba, and Flores, men still regularly wear ikat in daily life. It is not uncommon to see them traveling between villages on horseback, dressed in these textiles. For ceremonies and important occasions, the finest ikat pieces are brought out, emphasizing their role as markers of status and respect.

Head cloths are especially significant in expressing identity. They can indicate a man’s rank or ritual role, while also projecting masculinity and individuality. In contemporary settings, the head cloth may sometimes be the only traditional element in a young man’s outfit, paired with modern clothing such as jeans and a T-shirt. This contrast often highlights the cultural importance of the headpiece even more strongly. These cloths may be made from a range of materials, including bark cloth, batik, brightly dyed fabrics, or finely woven ikat, and are often tied in highly personal, regionally distinctive styles.

In Sumba, men’s head cloths are particularly striking, often featuring a stiffened, upright projection at the front or side. This element can resemble a rooster’s comb or a pompadour hairstyle, and in local interpretations, it carries symbolic associations with masculinity and vitality. Language in Indonesian and some regional dialects reinforces this symbolism, as terms for a rooster can also carry suggestive double meanings.

Ikat Garments for Women

Among women in Sumba, finely made ikat sarongs, known as lau, often incorporate additional, highly complex weaving techniques and are further embellished with shells and beads. One especially significant type, lau hada (“lau with beads and shells”), features designs created not through dyeing but through the dense application of beads and shells sewn onto a dark woven cloth. These textiles preserve some of the oldest known motifs in Sumba, dating back to a time before the ikat technique itself was introduced. [Source: Jill Forshee, “Culture and Customs of Indonesia”, Greenwood Press, 2006]

Women’s textiles in Sumba tend to retain more ancient, indigenous motifs than those worn by men, whose cloths more frequently combine traditional elements with newer influences. In this way, women play a key role in preserving and transmitting cultural heritage, maintaining visual patterns and symbols that connect present generations with a distant past. Their work ensures the continuity of designs that carry deep historical and spiritual meaning.

The adornment of fine clothing also serves as a visible indicator of a woman’s social standing and her value within systems of marriage exchange. Elaborately decorated textiles, along with gold jewelry, contribute to the assessment of bridewealth, making attire an important concern for families with marriageable daughters. Considerable care and effort go into preparing a young woman’s appearance for ritual occasions, where her clothing reflects both family prestige and cultural identity.

Sumba Ikats

Sumba is famous for its ikats (textiles made using an Indonesian decorative technique in which warp or weft threads, or both, are tie-dyed before weaving). They are sometimes embroidered with cowry shells and woven with mystical figures and "power shapes" that have secretive magical meanings specific to certain clans and kingdoms. The blankets are made of fine clothe woven from with fabric naturally dyed with indigo and red marinda from “kombu” tree bark. In recent decades these have been replaced with chemical dyes. In the old days ikat was only used for special purposes. Some were used in social planting ceremonies. Other could only be worn by royalty.

Common ikat motifs include snakes, crocodiles (representing birth), "skull trees" (formally used to hang the heads of defeated enemies to scare off evil spirits), horses, dogs, buffalos, monkeys, lizards and warriors. [Source: “Encyclopedia of World Cultures, East and Southeast Asia” edited by Paul Hockings (G.K. Hall & Company, 1993) ~]

According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art: The island of Sumba in Indonesia is renowned for its technically accomplished and visually dramatic textiles. Sumba textiles tend in general to be syncretic and heavily indebted to imported imagery...Skillfully interpreting geometric pattern, Sumba weavers were able to preserve trade patterns that were introduced in a Hindu-Buddhist context more than a thousand years prior and innovate. These textile allows us to highlight important narratives pertaining to global trade, encounter and dynamic innovation in the arts of this region. [Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art]

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources:“Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings, 1993; “Culture and Customs of Indonesia” by Jill Forshee, Greenwood Press, 2006; National Geographic, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Encyclopedia.com, Library of Congress, Indonesia Tourism website (indonesia.travel), Indonesia government websites, Live Science, The Conversation, The New Yorker, Time, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Google AI, Wikipedia, The Guardian and various websites, books and other publications.

Last updated April 2026