"My mother is my inspiration. She and I still design together, especially the floral and bird motifs that are typical in Pekalongan batik."
Latest Update"I'm Yuni Kristina and I was born in 1983 in Pekalongan, Central Java. As part of Pekalongan regency,...Latest Update
"I'm Yuni Kristina and I was born in 1983 in Pekalongan, Central Java. As part of Pekalongan regency, Wonokerto is known as the 'World's City of Batik;' people here also create batik. Most homemakers in my town make batik, from small productions to large ones. There are stamped batiks and hand-painted batiks — all are available. Besides being known as Batik City, Pekalongan is also known as the 'Fisherman City.' Most of the men work as fishermen. My father also was a fisherman and my mother was a batik maker. As a fisherman, my father could be gone anywhere from a month to six months. It all depended on how much fish he could catch.
"I started working in this field when I was 16 years old. After school, I helped my mother in making batik. She taught me how to hold the canting tool, and how to draw on cotton or silk. I love making batik because it has so many motifs that can be explored. To make batik, one also needs patience and extraordinary skill.
"Even though now my life seems good and I can provide for my children, I used to work very hard when I was a teenager. When I graduated from senior high school, I had to work in two places. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., I worked for a phone seller and after that, from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., I worked at a motorcycle counter in a shopping mall. I did that for six years because I needed to support my father, since he was very sick at that time.
"Now, I am married to my lovely husband, Pande Putu Riecky Surya, and together, we are blessed with a daughter and two sons. Our children are the best thing that ever happened to me. And they give us new spirit to work harder. My husband and I always give our best to give them a great education, so they can have a bright future. We hope that they will be humble people, and they can make a good impact on society.
"When I had just started my batik workshop, a lot of people underestimated my skill. Yet, by the time I could prove they were wrong, people started to recognize my designs. I have made a lot of batik scarves and shawls, but my best and most challenging one is the ‘Wine Garden' shawl. The reason is because it uses two methods to make it beautiful. First, I do batik on silk, and then I draw flowers so the product is really colorful. The silk and cotton in my scarves are usually ones that I have picked. Then I give them to my helpers — I have 20 helpers, six men and fourteen women. My husband and I coordinate everything. I'm really proud to be a batik maker because I am also preserving my heritage, especially now that batik is recognized as original to Indonesia.
"I joined you in 2006. It was my husband who brought our batik to you and, thankfully, you accepted us and even helped us a lot. You've taught me to be really careful in making sure of the quality of my scarves and shawls. You've also taught me to be creative, as you request new designs regularly. And we received a Novica microcredit at zero percent interest so I could expand my workshop. I've worked very hard and today, I own a house and two shops to sell my batik scarves. I even have a car and a motorcycle, and now I can support my children with the best education."
Original Artisan Story
"I learned the art of batik when I was very young, since my mother is a batik artist in Java. She has been making batik at home for 23 years, while waiting each day for my father – a fisherman – to come home from the sea. As you can imagine, batik is a part of my life. I started experimenting with the technique when I was 13 years old, with more textiles. Now I've learned to create different motifs and to work with other materials, such as silk. My mother still helps me a lot.
"My mother is my inspiration. She and I still design together, especially the floral and bird motifs that are typical in Pekalongan batik. My husband Rieckey also helps me a lot because he knows what people like abroad, and then I can focus on creating. I would like the batik of Bali to become well known around the world, since its beauty is outstanding."
Only valid on the Normal shipping option for shipments to 48 Lower US states.
Discounted shipping price may not be applied to previous orders.
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WOMEN
S
M
L
XL
XXL
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
BUST
35 - 36
37 - 38
39 - 41
42 - 44
46 - 48
WAIST
27 - 28
29 - 30
31 - 33
34 - 36
38 - 40
HIPS
37 - 38
39 - 40
42 - 43
45 - 46
49 - 50
MEN
S
M
L
XL
XXL
CHEST
36 - 38
39 - 41
42 - 44
46 - 48
50 - 52
WAIST
30 - 32
32 - 34
35 - 37
38 - 41
43 - 45
NECK
14 - 14.5
15 - 15.5
16 - 16.5
17 - 17.5
18 - 18.5
SLEEVE
32.5
33.5
34.5
35.5
36.5
FINDING YOUR SIZE
Take your measurements with the tape measure over your under garments. If your measurements fall between sizes you may prefer the next larger size. Inseam, skirt and dress lengths vary by style and will be listed in the item description. Our sweaters are knit in standard American sizes, however actual measurements vary by style.
BUST / CHEST
Measure around the fullest part of chest under the arms and over the shoulder blades keeping the tape measure level.
WAIST
Measure around the smallest part of the waist keeping the tape measure comfortably loose. Most garments use the low waist measurement noted below.
LOW WAIST
Measure around the body approximately 1.5" below the natural waist (above). This is the area where most pants and skirts actually fit.
HIPS
Standing with your heels together, measure around the fullest part of the body approx 7"-8" below the waist.
NECK
Measure around the base of the neck keeping the tape measure comfortably loose.
SLEEVE
Bend elbow slightly and starting at the center back of the neck, measure across the shoulder, to the elbow and down to the wrist.
INSEAM
Our standard inseam length for women is 32" and 34" for men; however inseam measurements will vary slightly by style.
Belts with buckles are measured in inches that correspond to a waist size however, most people do not wear belts on the waist, they wear them closer to the hips. A buckle belt measurement is take from the end of the "pin" of the buckle to the middle hole on the belt. Generally there are 5 holes for size adjustment, with a 1" space between each, so the middle hole will the be average size of the belt.
For at tie belt (no buckle) measure the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This again is the medium size of the belt.
For a soft fabric tie belt it can be called "1 size fits most" and the entire length of the belt should be measured and listed.
See buckle/tie belt size standards below.
WOMEN
S
M
L
XL
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
inches
26 - 30
28 - 32
31 - 35
34 - 38
38 - 42
cm
76 - 86
81.5 - 91.5
86.5 - 96.5
91.5 - 101.5
96.5 - 106.5
+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm
MEN
S
M
L
XL
XXL
inches
30 - 34
32 - 36
35 - 39
39 - 43
43 - 47
cm
81.5 - 91.5
86.5 - 96.5
91.5 - 101.5
96.5 - 106.5
109 - 119
+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm
Sash tie length
Lay sash/tie out flat away from the garment and measure from end to end.
Belt with buckle
Measure from the end of the pin of the buckle (where it touches the buckle) to the middle hole.
Belt without buckle
Measure from the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This is will give you the medium size of the belt.
Download our printable ring sizing chart to find the perfect fit!
We refer to these items as "discounted wholesale". Such items carry a deeper wholesale discount than other items, and have greater potential to provide your business with healthier resale margins.
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UNICEF Market offers triple win pricing, where YOU the consumer, Children from around the world, and Artisans all benefit.
WIN # 1 You Save!
UNICEF Market's artisan-direct prices are made possible through our partnership with NOVICA, a leading fair trade organization that works directly with artisans in remote regions around the world in many of the same communities where UNICEF has missions. NOVICA’s ten global Artisan Empowerment Hubs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America provide interest-free microcredit loans to artisans and help them bring their handmade creations directly to you.
WIN # 2 Children Benefit!
UNICEF Market supports children by helping generate funds for UNICEF's programs dedicated to improving children's lives worldwide. These initiatives provide essential resources such as safe water, nutrition, education, health care, and emergency relief to children in need. Learn more here: UNICEF USA.
WIN # 3 Artisans Thrive!
UNICEF Market empowers artisans in emerging nations by offering a fair trade platform to sell their handcrafted goods, expanding their market reach and increasing their income. This support helps transform the lives of tens of thousands of artisans and their family members across the globe.
