High Fiber
BY DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ

Weaving is a traditional craft in the Philippines. Weavers fashion fibers from abaca or Manila hemp, piña (fiber from pineapple) and buntal (fiber from fan palm) into cloth for use not just in garments but accessories and even home decor. Each ethnic group has its own particular kind of textile, motif and method of production.
Abaca fiber, produced from a plant endemic to the Philippines and which has been grown for centuries, is carefully woven to make sinamay fabric. It first achieved worldwide recognition as the Manila hemp, the preferred rope used by sailors and even the US Navy. Today, abaca is also widely used for making specialty papers, home furnishings and novelty items.
Piña comes from the filmy fiber from the Red Spanish variety of pineapple grown in the provinces of Aklan, Palawan and Camarines Norte. In the 1500s, it was used to pay royal tribute or poll tax.
Buri is a palm from which three kinds of fibers, namely buri, raffia, and buntal, are obtained. The buri palm has large fan-shaped leaves with stout petioles ranging from two to three meters in length. The palm reaches a height of 20 to 40 meters and its trunk attains a diameter of one to 1.5 meters. Of the buri fiber, buntal is the one with the most impact in the market.
This month, 10 Philippine fiber companies showcase their fashion design pieces created from these indigenous fibers at the autumn edition of the 70th Tokyo International Gift Show in Japan, one of the premier and largest personal gift and decorative accessory international trade fairs in the world.
“We are trying to promote things that are locally made, indigenous, things [done] by hand... I think we have an edge amongst the other countries... because everything [there] is manufactured and mass-produced,” says Dita Sandico-Ong, well-known fashion designer and advocate for the use of natural materials, as well as product consultant for the Philippine participation to the Japan Gift Show.
“We really have to look into excellence and how we can actually maintain ourselves in terms of quality,” she adds.
Organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, the Philippine group includes representatives from Cache Apparels (brooches, obi belts, wallets, bags, purses, shawls, wraps made from banana and abaca fibers); Cristina Feraren Enterprises under the brand name Twinkle Ferraren (scarves, bags, clothes-wrapped pants, fashion accessories made from shifu [woven paper thread material]); Crystal Seas (bags and purses, fashion accessories made from abaca); Elisa M. Reyes Workshop (gift boxes, picture frames, and placemats made from buntal); Gida’s T’nalak International (fabric, bags, fashion accessories in handwoven tnalak [indigenous abaca fiber produced by the T’boli tribe]); Joami International Trading (jewelry display mannequins made from paper mache and natural materials, fashion accessories, jewelry boxes); Kraftika Filipina (bags and hats made from indigenous materials); La Herminia Piña Weaving Industry (shawls and textiles made from piña, placemats and packaging bags made from abaca); Nooks Company Ltd. (pineapple and cotton-blended knitwear), and S.C. Vizcarra (handcrafted and handwoven handbags made from natural materials).
“The Japanese people are [among] the most culturally sensitive people in the world [and] they would be able to appreciate deeply the cultural significance of the Tnalak... which is arguably the most distinctive representation of the T’boli people,” says Flor de la Cruz, president of Gida’s Tnalak International, marketing arm of the T’boli Cultural Heritage Foundation established for the preservation of the culture of the T’boli mountain tribe of South Cotabato.
Often referred to as “woven dreams”, Tnalak is purely handwoven fabric solely produced by the T’boli and which holds a special place in T’boli heritage, serving as both literature and art for this culture devoid of written communication. Within the length of this fabric are inscribed the significant turning points in T’boli life - birth, marriage, and death—the fabric “enveloping these like a benediction.”
“The Japanese are known to have a preference for natural and organic products, and preserving tradition in modern times... [In the same way], we value the importance of our cultural heritage by promoting the use of traditional materials and further developing skills handed down through generations,” explains Mae Alcantara, owner of Davao-based Crystal Seas, whose main fashion products made from handwoven abaca are often embellished with shells, horns and glass beads. “For this collection, we incorporated the use of exotic skins, buffalo horn, and shells including mother of pearl, abalone, and black lip shell... [we also] simplified some details such as beadwork and patterns and opted to use bolder accents.”
According to the Fiber Industry Development Authority, Philippine abaca contributes about 85 of world supply, and is the only local fiber where the Philippines has the competitive advantage in the global market. In 2005, total export earnings from fiber companies posted around $90.51 million, an increase of 16.7 from 2004 in dollar value, signifying rising demand for Philippine fibers for their various uses and applications.
“The mere fact that abaca is a very unique material and considered one of the world’s strongest fibers is definitely something that we should proudly promote globally. Along with our craftsmen’s skills on weaving intricate patterns, our designs are also much appreciated worldwide,” says Reynaldo Paulino, managing director for Kraftika Filipina, producer of fashion accessories since 1993.
The Tokyo International Gift Show will run until Friday.