Buddhi Batiks

About Us

Batik is a craft that combines the illustrative skills of an artist with a wax-resist dyeing technique applied to natural fabrics like cotton, silk, and linen. Buddhi Batiks is a leading proponent of this craft in the tropical island of Sri Lanka, and is noted for infusing contemporary design into a very traditional craft. Each piece that is produced at Buddhi Batiks is hand-painted in wax by these talented artisans, and hand-dyed by experienced dye masters in a seemingly unlimited variety of colours, ranging from the most vibrant of hues to the subtlest, softest pastels and creams. The piece is then boiled and sun dried, and the process repeated over for every additional colour. Each piece is therefore a unique product of several artisans' tender care; each piece is a unique work of batik art. Buddhi Batiks is an ethical fashion business, where the batik craft is practiced by women, some of whom have been with the workshop since the company’s inception in 1970, and are considered the life blood of the business. The batik workshop, located in the village of Koswadiya on the north-western coast of Sri Lanka, in turn plays an integral role in the economy of the village. The workshop makes a concerted effort to hire from and around the village, even though labour maybe cheaper elsewhere. This enables the workers and artisans, women with families to look after, to remain close to home. In addition, the workshop has no age discrimination, with artisans ranging in age from 18 to 65. The current workshop manager joined in 1970 as a worker; she is now 63 years old. The workshop allows flexible hours for our older artisans, and values their experience and skill in training the younger artisans.