Johor Woven Fabric Makes Its Mark In Haute Couture
By Marfika Adnan Haris Fadzilah
JOHOR BAHRU, July 10 (Bernama) -- Johor's traditional weaving heritage is undergoing a remarkable transformation, with Kain Benang Johor emerging as one of the country's finest textiles and gaining prominence on the local haute couture scene.
Once reserved for ceremonial occasions, the traditional fabric has evolved into a symbol of status, prestige, luxury and national pride, reflecting Johor's royal heritage and cultural identity.
Johor Weaving Gallery assistant curator Roslinda Mohd Rosli said the fabric's distinctive appeal lies in its unique geometric patterns, setting it apart from woven textiles produced in other states.
"This iconic Johor fabric adopts the concept of kain berkotak (check-patterned cloth), embellished with motifs inspired by the state's natural heritage, such as black pepper and gambier, placed within the geometric squares.
"Its beauty is further enhanced by a striped kepala kain (fabric head) design, giving the wearer a refined, elegant and exclusive appearance," she told Bernama here.
Roslinda said the original pattern was carefully preserved by generations of master weavers in Muar before being introduced more widely throughout the state.
To date, she said, 10 official designs have been patented, including six exclusive creations for the Johor royal family, namely Songket Johor Jauhar, Songket Johor Madini and Songket Johor Maharani.
"The remaining four designs are intended for the public, namely Tenun Johor Corak Muar, Tenun Johor Tanjung Piai and Tenun Johor Mayang Selida," she said.
Highlighting the fabric's exclusivity, Roslinda described every piece as a work of art that demands exceptional patience, as it must undergo eight intricate stages of traditional craftsmanship.
The entirely handwoven process, carried out without automated machinery, begins with dyeing the yarn before progressing through menerai, menganing, winding, menyampak, mengarat, songket pattern counting and finally weaving on the traditional Kek Melayu loom.
"It takes between one-and-a-half and two months for a weaver to complete a two-metre-long samping measuring 37 inches in width," she said.
Roslinda described the starting price of RM2,000 for an authentic handwoven piece as a worthwhile investment for a masterpiece that has become highly sought after by affluent buyers, corporate leaders and heritage collectors.
To ensure the weaving tradition continues to flourish while making Johor's signature fabric more accessible, she said the Johor Heritage Foundation (YWJ) has introduced machine-woven versions.
"In conjunction with the Visit Johor campaign, the machine-made fabric is being offered at a promotional price of RM250, compared with its regular price of between RM350 and December 2026.
"This initiative is not only aimed at encouraging government employees and the public to wear Johor's identity attire every Friday, but also at creating greater opportunities for the fabric to evolve into contemporary fashion designs," she said.
Roslinda added that the fabric is no longer confined to traditional samping, having been creatively adapted into shirts, women's blouses and jackets suitable for both formal occasions and casual wear.
-- BERNAMA
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