This cotton textile was worn by Batak men mainly for ceremonial dress rather than for everyday wear. The cloth has a central pattern known as 'padang rusak', a series of alternating rows of white and black chevron’s, and black lines with white dashes on a red ground. This pattern is said to have been adopted by the Batak people from imported Achenese or possibly Minangkabau cloths. The white sides or selvedge of the cloth are another outside influence adopted by Batak weavers in response to imports.
