Ikat is a process of "wrapping to pattern" the yarns before dyeing and weaving. The strings used for wrapping the yarns have to resist the dye and thus a pattern is placed in the yarns. For multi-colours, a process of over-dyeing is done until the yarns are ready for weaving. In warp ikat, the yarns for the warp are measured on a warp stretcher to the exact length of one warp. In weft ikat, the weft yarns are measured on a weft stretcher,but more than one piece of textile can be woven on the warp prepared for weft ikat. Thus longer lengths of the same design can be wove.

It is likely that warp ikat is older than weft ikat, but the history is far from conclusive. In peninsular and island S.E. Asia, the change to weft ikat seemed to coincide with the introcudtion of silk from China and India that was traded into the region by the 6th century A.D. The weaving of silk in weft ikat was easier than in warp ikat and the demand for this luxury item brought about a change in techniques, including the introduction of the frame loom. In mainland S.E. Asia, the origins of silk are more likely to be indigenous and thus the beginnings of weft ikat are not clear. Here frame looms have been in existence for a long time, together with the weaving combs and weft ikat equipment. Warp ikat is only found in very simple designs among some of the T'ai groups of Laos and Thailand while hilltribe groups still practice the technique using backstrap looms. Compound ikat, which is the technique of combining warp and weft ikat on the same piece, is found in simplistic forms among the Khmor Sung of northeast Thailand, the Red T'ai of northeast Laos, the Minangkabau of West Sumatra, Indonesia ; but the best known areas for compound ikat of excellence are Gujarat, India and Tenganan in Bali.

Warp ikat is best suited to the use of cotton or other plant fibres. Thus the colours used in theses textiles revolve around those suitable for natural ayes on cotton. The most popular colours are indigo and mengkudu red (Morinda citrifolia) which are used on white or natural cotton yarns, tied to resist the dye in the ikat technique. Weft ikats made in silk tend to use yellow (turmeric), a dilute form of indigo to make green, and a deep crimson red make from the lac insect. Orange, green and purple are created by the overdye process. Cottons made in weft ikat are mainly indigo and white.