principal silk, cotton, or synthetic-fabric garment worn in the Malay Archipelago and the Pacific islands. Brightly coloured fabric 4 or 5 yards (up to 4 ¹/₂ m) long is wrapped around the lower part of the body and tucked in or tied at the waist, forming a draped dress or skirt varying in length from knees to ankles. The most prized sarongs, heavily interwoven with gold thread, come from Batu Bara and Sumatra. The sarong has been worn by both men and women.