Garland magazine

The stories behind what we make

Beauty from bacteria: Micro-farming batik Nidiya Kusmaya reveals the benefits of micro-farming in ecological batik production.
Designers Dispatch Service: Traditional artisans connect to the global market Eugenio Hendro ventures to East Java with the hope of making craft appeal to the next generation.
Quarterly essay ✿ Batik journeys between the three worlds: Here, there and everywhere Elly Kent follows the path of batik as a way to explore the complex dynamic of Indonesian culture and to discover a much-needed optimism for our time.

DiTenun: Artificial intelligence technology for Indonesian traditional Weaving

Nancy Margried writes about a new technology for assisting artisans in expanding their traditional designs.

By Nancy Margried

Academic and weaver join head and hand in Bandung

Sabrina Sakina writes about the symbiotic arrangement between Bandung designer Arlene Dwiasti Soemardi and local craftsperson Pak Epi and his weaver Andre

By Sabrina Sakina

Ulos through the viewfinder

Dewi Sartika Bukit describes a photography project that aims to inspire a new generation to admire the distinct ulos weaving tradition of Tono Batak.

By Dewi Sartika Bukit

Zahir Widadi ✿ Fine batik for an intricate blue world

Hanny Kusumawati profiles master batik artist Zahir Widadi, who preserves the local wisdom of natural-dyed batik from his modest home workshop in Pekalongan.

By Hanny Kusumawati

Savu island: Greater and Lesser Blossoms will prevail

Geneviève Duggan and Icesarlince Tededara write about a matrilineal culture, where women wear their history. The challenges of COVID-19 contained the gift of time, thanks to the Tewuni rai Foundation.

By Geneviève Duggan and Icesarlince Tededara

The case for wood

Guy Keulemans advocates for the use of timber, particularly with new technologies that preserve the structural integrity of the wood.

By Guy Keulemans

Kandangan village: A rich harvest of innovation for pandemic response

Alexandra Crosby catches up with Singgih Kartono in the village of Kandangan to find out how they are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Alexandra Crosby

Batik exchange: Wahyu Subiyantoro Soediro

Carla van Lunn collaborates with the creator of striking bold Madurese batik.

By Carla van Lunn

See a list of all articles from our Pembaharu ✿ Java issue here.

Stay in the Loop with recent news

OVOP Senegal success stories: Jute bag from Espace Beauté Yagora - Joseph Ndione is proud of the craft produced by a Senegal company with the support of the One Village One Product platform.

Laila Al Hamad ✿ The craft of smell - Kuwaiti designer Laila Al Hamad speaks about the meaning of smell in Arab cultures and how it connects people together.

Kasih Project ✿ Delivered with love, Indonesia style - Lachlan Blain finds a community initiative that takes the Indonesian spirit of dapur umum, temporary kitchen, to help international students currently stranded in Melbourne.

Kasia Tons ✿ After - Valerie Kirk writes about an artist who used embroidery as a diary to record a lost world that may be our future.

A village delivered to your home: Report from the Selvedge World Fair - Helen Ting finds new ways to showcase cloth-making traditions in a pioneering festival.

Maryann Sebasio ✿ Warup drum from Erub island - Our September laurel goes to Torres Strait islander, Maryann Sabiso, who has produced a handsome warup wooden drum that accompanies ceremony and song in her island of Erub.

Our COVID responses 🌸: