Indonesia & Switzerland Cross Cultural Collaboration, Tenun Ikat Sikka GI, Ikat Dyeing & Weaving

The Tenun Ikat Sikka GI is a product of the collaboration between the Weaver Association from Sikka and Isabel Huaman Diaz (Toqapu). The association was established in November 2014 with the vision of a prosperous society that resulted in the sustainable practice of Ikat from Sikka. Their mission is to make the weaving of Ikat from Sikka a source of sustainable livelihood by providing services for weavers and business actors. Especially the weaving groups/studios aimed to protect Tenun Ikat Sikka products from motifs and name plagiarism by factory-made products that are not original Ikat from Sikka. With the support of the government and the Indonesian-Swiss Intellectual Property Project (ISIP) and accompanied by the Sahabat Cipta Foundation, their weaver association was formed and the “Tenun Ikat Sikka” was proposed to obtain legal protection. Isabel Huaman Diaz has been hired as the consultant to the weaver association from Sikka to access the European and Swiss market. In collaboration with the weaver association they have created their own collection of accessories consisting of pareos, silk scarves and foulards as well as a wide spectrum of fabrics. With this new line they aim to attract small businesses that appreciate hand-woven, unique and valuable pieces.

The weavers from Sikka create unique fabrics whose motifs reflect a certain symbolism. They live in harmony with nature–the patterns and dyeing of the fabrics are characterised from the flora and fauna of their diverse island. They extract the dyes by hand from the plants and fruits locally and dye the threads in the tie-dye process. Black, for example, is obtained out of indigo leaves and red out of noni fruits.

To follow the story of Tenun Ikat Sikka GI, find them on social media here.