Songket is a kind of great fabric that has its own historical value and is said famously in Malaya (Malaysia) since the 13^th century. Technological innovation has brought great changes to traditional heritage art in line with the development of people’s lifestyle. Until now, the efforts to ensure the sustainability of the songket industry is still underway. Relatively songket has reached a satisfactory level as the clothing is still accepted as a fashion for weddings, fittings, souvenirs and decorative accessories. Not only that, the interesting fact about songket is the motif and color of the songket weigh the user’s dignity and shuts the person’s position.

According to Mohamad Pauzi Zahudin, Manager of Ara Borgstena, contemporary design has attracted attention as it is easily adapted to the current situation. The earning of songket-based accessory can further highlight the idea of decorating with aesthetic value in a particular space. The songket background environment also changes in line with time and community needs. Motifs and traditional patterns are still maintained and the application of contemporary motives often gets crowded. The motifs produced on decorative accessories are easily adapted to the various decorating concepts either at home or office

“Heritage art must be preserved and at the same time diversify functions including respecting the arrangement of space on songket.”

“Although the décor looks brief when in a certain space of the songket product attraction becomes more exclusive,” he said during the Media Coverage Program in conjunction with Colourful Aidilfitri 2017.

Not only that, according to Asrol Azie Mamat, a Songket Designer said in the process of producing songket fabrics, there are several stages to be done before using the machine. Among them, the design of computer software, thread arrangement (polystyrene and metallic) and only the use of machines to weave songket. In addition, there are also levels involving weaving cuts, nourishment including softening of fabrics, thread yarns and cutting of songket fabrics according to sheets. After that, the fabric will be sewn before accepted by the party making the order.

Source: Harian Metro, Saturday, 27 May 2017