Aklan fiber gaining ground in int'l textile industry
BY RONILO PAMONAG

Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez (in dark glasses) looks on as models wearing clothes made of plant fibers, walk past him during Monday's opening of the 8th Aklan Piña and Fiber Festival. Fashion designers used fabrics made of fibers from plants grown in Aklan (RPamonag)

KALIBO, Aklan - Textile made of plant fiber grown and produced in Aklan is gaining ground in foreign markets as dealers and importers are interested in buying these products.
Several textile importers are in town for the 8th Aklan Piña and Fiber Festival and for a plant tour of the various loom weavers in the province. The five-day festival, which is held at the Capitol grounds, opened Monday afternoon.
At the same time, Gov. Carlito Marquez also said that they would like to introduce their products to the Chinese market, where, he says, there is a huge demand.
Singapore-based Catherine Deane of Fair Trade Interiors expressed interest in the products on display, particularly on women's accessories made pf piña, abaca and raffia fibers.
Deane, who supplies materials to textile firms in other countries, said that products made of plant fibers from Aklan could sell in the United Kingdom.
"They've a huge potential in the UK," she said Monday, after going around the booths.
Michael Hailey of Amba Nature said that a British firm, Ethical Weddings, has already started to showcase scarves and shawls made of Aklan plant fiber as among its wedding-related merchandise. He has also imported a volume of bags made of Aklan plant fibers.
Hailey suggests though that the loom weavers should improve on the dyeing of the colors and the design of the products.
To note, international brand, Calvin Klein has placed orders for cushions produced by Heritage Arts and Crafts, a loomweaver based here. Calvin Klein saw their products on the internet.
That means that the quality of our products is comparable with the others internationally, Marquez pointed out.
Advocate of Philippine Free Trade Inc. executive director, Rommel Agustin said that there is a huge demand in the international market for Philippine products made of plant fiber.
"This is something unique to us. It is only the Philippines that produces these," he said.
Marquez and Agustin, however, both expressed concern over the limited production capacity.
"The only thing is that the production capacity is not enough to supply the demand. Several orders were canceled because these could not be met," he said.
The governor said the Capitol would meet with loom weavers to devise ways to increase their output.
There's a gap between the demand and the supply, he said.
Marquez explained that the products are made manually, without the use of machines.
These are done manually because no machine has yet been invented that would turn leaves into fibers, he said.
The Capitol has already increased its financial assistance to loom weavers to enable them to acquire more looming machines.
Marquez has also called on for more capitalists into the loom weaving industry.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial director, Ermelinda Pollentes said that they are coordinating with the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) and doing a ‘backward linkage,' a strategy they devised to increase production.
She said that the FIDA may have the technology regarding plant fibers. She said that production slows down in the knotting stage.
Pollentes explained that after the plant leaves are stripped, the fibers are then knotted into twines, which are, in turn, used to make fabrics.
The DTI has also set in place a procedure for ensuring quality of the products.
We have an Aklan Quality Seal that ensures the excellence of products made of abaca silk and raffia.