Which Indonesian cloth-dyeing technique uses wax-resist patterns? Batik uses wax-resist dyeing.
In batik, artisans draw or stamp hot wax onto cotton, silk, or another fabric before applying dye. The wax blocks the dye from penetrating selected areas, leaving those sections lighter when the wax is removed. To build multicolored designs, makers can repeat the process: add wax, dye the cloth, remove or alter the wax, and continue with another color.
Traditional Indonesian batik is particularly associated with Java. Artisans may use a pen-like canting tool for hand-drawn batik tulis or a copper stamp called a cap for repeated motifs. Designs can express regional identity, social status, ceremonial use, or changing fashion.
Tie-dye and shibori also create patterns by resisting dye, but they primarily manipulate or bind the cloth. Ikat resists dye on yarns before weaving, rather than applying wax designs directly to finished fabric. Batik is therefore the precise answer to this question.