Batik connections
BATIK Boutique’s story began with a chance meeting between expatriate Amy Blair and Kak Ana (Rohana Muhammad), a single mother of two who was looking for ways to make money to support her family.
“She taught me Bahasa Malaysia, and we quickly became friends. We thought of ways for her to earn more income; she knew how to sew so we bought some batik fabric and she transformed them into gifts,” shared Blair, who is in her 30s and a mother of three children.
She then took the batik-themed gifts back with her to the US, and gave them to family and friends. Everyone loved the items, and that spurred the eventual creation of Batik Boutique in 2009.
Once the company started getting requests for more items, other women like Kak Ana started showing up, too. Soon, Batik Boutique grew into a full-fledged team of experienced artisans.
“I founded Batik Boutique with the conviction that women like Ana deserve fair and sustainable income, and the ability to provide for themselves and their families,” said Blair.
The company collaborates with batik artisans from all around Malaysia, especially those who have been making it for generations. It also has a sewing centre near a low-income housing area in KL, where women living there who wish to work can provide their sewing and crafting services.
“We provide sewing and life skills training for women from the B40 demographic group. Our seamstresses manufacture Batik Boutique’s beautiful products, which are designed by our production team,” Blair explained.
(B40 refers to the bottom 40% of households with a monthly income of RM3,900 and below.)
Batik Boutique has come a long way since its inception. The company has a full time staff of eight in its front-of-house team and collaborates with a number of partners.
Products are sold in various locations nationwide, as well as online where it ships everywhere in Malaysia and to the US. In December, Batik Boutique even launched its first retail outlet in KL.
“It is incredible to see how this work impacts the women who work with us. Very quickly, their attitudes change, as the sustainable income enables them to worry less about survival on a daily basis and focus more on enjoying life with their families. One artisan, Zarina, has even published her own quilting book in Bahasa Malaysia, and she uses Batik Boutique fabrics in her tutorials,” revealed Blair.
Social entrepreneurship may not have been a popular business model when Blair first started her company, but initiatives by the Government has helped change that environment.
She cites the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC) and the Ministry of Finance’s Volunteering International Professional (VIP) fellowship programme as the main drivers in this initiative.
“There is a lot of support for Malaysian companies to do good, and do business. I am encouraged by the growth of social entrepreneurship in Malaysia. With each additional enterprise, the community grows, and the ecosystem becomes stronger. I hope that Batik Boutique helps pave the way for other enterprises too,” Blair shared.