Sumatran Tapis Sarong

This tapis sarong was made in Sumatra in the late 19th century. The base fabric is a woven striped cotton, which the textile artist then decorated with rows of repeated designs in gold-wrapped thread.

Tapis are tubular garments from Indonesia. They are made out of one or more panels of cloth that are stitched together to create a tube dress that women can then wear tucked under their arms. Tapis are usually made out of cotton and then decorated with gold-wrapped thread, mica, mirrors, beads, and coins. It can take a woman as long as a year to complete a tapis, and the finished garment can weigh upwards of 10 pounds.

The tradition of making and wearing tapis declined during Dutch colonial rule, but after independence the Indonesian government began promoting a revival of this important textile tradition.