In my experience some batiks do bleed but most of the ones I have used, do not bleed. I don't know how to tell which ones will bleed by looking at them. I have not mixed white or light fabrics with batiks so it didn't matter too much. I've been wondering if I could tell the bleeders from those that do not by ironing on a light background but I have not tried it yet ... just didn't think about it at the time.