The songkok or peci or kopiah is a cap widely worn in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines and southern Thailand, most commonly among Muslim males. It has the shape of a truncated cone, usually made of black or embroidered felt, cotton or velvet. Through the years, the songkok has gone through several modifications to suit different tastes, styles and occasions. In general, the songkok has a flat top. However, there are also songkoks with slightly raised sides called bergunung (mountainous).

This cap said came from Indonesian, who is Islam as if fez and mostly produced in black. In Indonesia, the cap is also known by the name of ‘Peci’. Kemuteran village, Gresik, has long known as a cap or songkok village. In the village, the cap is also a part of the national clothing made from generation to generation. Making cap actually quite simple, almost all of Kemuteran village residents able to do it. The cap material is velvet cloth. At first cut based on the pattern of cloth, then sewed.

Songkoks with laces or decorations along the sides are referred to as berlis (with laces). There are also songkoks that combine these two elements, making them much heavier than usual songkoks. The “songkok berkalimah” is another version, which literally means songkok with ayat (religious verses). Other variations of songkoksinclude those with studs punched into the top of the songkok or openings at both ends at the top of the songkok with netting to provide ventilation.

At present, the cap is diverse. Many cap employers have specialization of Songkok making process. The most simple is a smooth cap with a plain black color.

Another model of cap is cap with embroidery motif Malaysia or Indonesia. In Sumatra, that model called ‘Songket’. The cap has to be excellent in Sumatra area. Mainly because its embroidery motif similar to Malay or Aceh. The latest model is AC. Called AC because at the end of the front and back of the cap layer have ventilation of thin fibrous cloth. The cap has also some decoration of rubber that will not exfoliate. The model also does not have to use cardboard.

Although the songkok is still widely worn by males from the Malay community in Singapore, the trade of handmade songkoks is in decline. Most of the songkoksavailable in Singapore are imported from neighbouring countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, which mass-produce the songkok in factories.

According to www.roots.sg and www.eastjava.com