Lurik - A Short Story from Yogyakarta

The Special Region of Yogyakarta is one of the foremost cultural centers of the island of Java. A city where the new juxtaposes the old, where you feel the mysticism in the air even as you sip your latte in an air conditioned coffee shop. It is a city still ruled by one of Indonesia’s longest reigning royal family, with a Sultan at its helm. This city was the seat of power that produced the magnificent temples of Borobudur and Prambanan, amongst many other wonders, and served as the nation’s capital during the Revolution in the 1940s.

Today, we call it the “Special Region” to celebrate it endless appeal; the mountains in the north, beaches in the south, the most scenic and peaceful paddy fields of rural life all imbued with the ancient mysticism and ideals that make up Yogyakarta. It may well be my favorite city in Indonesia - I’m a huge fan of its coffee shops of which you would be spoiled with options, and Warmindo - short for Warung* Indomie* - a local diner that sells Indonesia’s pride and joy, instant Indomie (don’t be fooled, the Indomie in these Warmindo somehow taste SUPERIOR to what you make at home!) Life in Yogya is slow, peaceful, and always full of wonder.

A city known for its arts scene and wonders of ancient heritage, including Batik and Wayang. But I want to take this moment to talk about, what is perhaps its lesser known ancient cultural heritage - LURIK. The star kain of our Vol. 1 Collection.

Lurik is a hand woven piece of cotton textile, it follows a manual process from start to finish and can take up to 1 month to make 30 meters of fabric, which requires 4 skilled artisans. It traditionally uses natural dyes such as indigo and mahogany (as featured in our Jéan shirt, Dune colorway) and the shades of the lurik is dependent on the weather - a cloudy day means you’ll get darker colors while a sunny day means brighter shades.

In the past, lurik was worn traditionally by rural men in Central Java. Back then, it was an affordable fabric. It comes from the Javanese word “lorek” meaning “stripey/striped” but has also been interpreted to mean “gates” that protect the person wearing it from bad luck. The Javanese believe that mystical powers lie within its specific patterns and each motif has a meaning. For example, the Udan Liris (as featured in our Jéan shirt, Grimis colorway) symbolizes fertility and prosperity, one would wear this with the hope of receiving some good luck and blessings.

Some are designed for protection and worn by the military soldiers of the past, others are designed to inspire confidence, gain luck and good fortune. The Lurik kain holds the hopes and prayers of its weavers within its design, it is truly an example of a labor of love.

Our lurik are made by four skilled artisans in Bantul: Ms Warni, Mr Narto, Mr Tomo & Mr Bayu (pictured below) who are keeping this ancient art alive. Watch their process HERE.

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