Co-organized by Green Batik Pekalongan and the Netherlands Embassy, and supported by the Pekalongan City Government, Partners for Water, The Water Agency, Resilience, Universitas Pekalongan, Rietland, and Saxion University, the Green Batik Design Challenge 2025 highlighted the cultural connection between Indonesia and the Netherlands as well as the importance of green innovation. The program encouraged batik artisans to explore new ideas while promoting environmentally conscious production practices. All ten participants came from Pekalongan, a city celebrated for its long-standing batik heritage, and each produced a finished batik cloth that blended tradition, creativity, and sustainability.
The Green Batik Design Challenge officially kicked off on October 6 at Museum Batik in Pekalongan, opened by Nassim Abba, Deputy Head of Culture and Communication of the Netherlands Embassy in Jakarta, Mrs. Hj. Balgis Diab, S.Ag., S.E., M.M., Deputy Mayor of Pekalongan, and Ms. Carrina Lim, from Green Batik Pekalongan.
As part of the program, artisans also joined a storytelling class on November 11, 2025, designed to strengthen their branding and marketing skills by teaching them how to shape concept ideas into a strong product identity and communicate their stories clearly to customers and communities. This session, delivered by Arto Biantoro of Gambaran Brand: Membangun Merek Indonesia, helped artisans refine how they would present their designs and narratives during the final showcase on November 22.
The challenge concluded with an awarding ceremony on November 22, 2025, at Erasmus Huis, the cultural center of the Netherlands Embassy in Jakarta. The judging panel consisted of Shinta Djiwatampu, BS, M.Ds, Fashion Design Program Director at LaSalle College Jakarta, and Bayu Aria Widhi Kristanto, S.Sn, Lecturer at the Indonesia Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta (ISI Yogyakarta). The top three designs came from Batik Bulan Pekalongan, Metaflora, and Indigo Makers, with Batik Bulan emerging as the overall winner. This winning design will be adopted as the Netherlands Embassy’s official signature batik pattern for merchandise. Public voting, joined by more than 1,000 participants, also determined a Favorite Design award, which went to Ozzy Batik Pekalongan. The event closed with remarks from Adriaan Palm, Deputy Head of Mission.
Batik Bulan’s winning work, Bangau Tali Pengikat Kasih Belanda & Indonesia, draws inspiration from Eliza Van Zuylen, a pioneering batik artist who introduced the iconic heron motif to Pekalongan. Born in Batavia in 1863, Eliza VZ became known for her artistic innovation, her “Van Zuylen Bouquet,” and her leadership as one of the most influential batik entrepreneurs in Java. The heron, symbolizing loyalty, wisdom, and beauty, remains closely tied to Pekalongan batik. In this design, the heron represents a bond that transcends ethnicity, nation, and religion, reflecting the harmony between Indonesia and the Netherlands and showing how cultural exchange can inspire peace, collaboration, and shared appreciation.
Indigo Makers’ design, Kebanggaan Tradisi Leluhur, expresses pride in ancestral traditions through the pairing of the windmill and Borobudur Temple, symbols of cultural and technological achievement from both countries. These stand above tulips, lilies, jasmine, and frangipani, flowers that reflect joy, gratitude, and cultural identity. The piece is dyed using natural indigo from the Indigofera tinctoria plant, produced in collaboration with rural farmers. Coconut sugar is used as a natural reducing agent, while cassava starch supports the wax removal process, making the dyeing method both responsible and rooted in sustainable local knowledge.
Metaflora’s work, Lintang Tulip, explores harmony between two cultures through symbols and color transitions. A windmill is reinterpreted as a star-like form moving with time, while tulips appear as geometric petals arranged in balance. The gentle shift from blue to violet mirrors the transition from morning to dusk. The piece conveys equilibrium, between movement and stillness, labor and beauty, heritage and renewal, capturing the meeting of Indonesia and the Netherlands in a single composition.
The Favorite Design award winner, The Legend Indonesia X The Netherlands by Ozzy Batik Pekalongan, presents a rich narrative told through contrasting motifs. The Indonesian side features classic batik patterns such as kawung, parang, and jlamprang, paired with images of natural resources from land and sea, expressing Indonesia’s commitment to preserving its cultural and environmental heritage. The Dutch side highlights modern innovation, particularly wastewater treatment technology, an important issue for the batik industry due to its high water consumption.
The Green Batik Design Challenge 2025 showed that cultural heritage and sustainability can advance together. By supporting artisans in refining both their creative techniques and their storytelling skills, while fostering meaningful cross-cultural connections, the program demonstrated a shared commitment to protecting tradition and shaping a more sustainable future.
