"Likhang HABI Market Fair" Slated October 13-15 at Makati City

 

Seeing the various colors, textures and ingenuity done on Philippine fabric in one place was overwhelming to see. I had the chance to actually experience all these at the preview of "Web of Woven Wonders", an activity of HABI: The Philippine Text Tile Council. They will be mounting the Likhang HABI Market Fair this coming October 13-15 at the Glorietta 2 and Palm Drive Activity Center grounds in Makati City.

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HABI President Adelaida Lim says "People are connected, like textiles, people, places and things bind us together. As you can see in this preview, it's the outstanding skill of our weavers that make these world class products happen. Definitely, it's something we can all be proud of!"

The fair will be having over 72 vendors from all across the country. They will converge at the venue to showcase, promote and make available the hand woven textiles, clothes, bags, trinkets and more. They also have pieces made of pineapple, abaca, cotton that will be shown in a bigger space this year and other international exhibitors from countries like Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia so PH vendors get inspired from our SEA neighbors. The event is supported by Ayala Land, Ayala Foundation, government agencies and private corporations. There will also be competitions happening at the event, particularly the 6th Lourdes Montinola Pina Weaving and the 2nd Eloisa Hizon Gomez Abaca Weaving. This will be an exciting venue to showcase their work!

Dr. Randy Madrid's book "Pina Futures: Weaving Memories and Innovations" will be launched at the same fair, so for those who are passionate about PH textile, you can get them all there!   

This is just the tip of the iceberg, so make sure to be there on October 13-15 when the event happens!

Optimism Seen in the Future of Philippine Fabric and Weaving

Dropped by the talk about Philippine fabrics yesterday hosted by Humboldt University in Berlin wherein Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda was guest speaker along with Ms. Analyn Salvador-Amores from UP Baguio. It was entitled "Habi: Weaving Philippine Textiles Future" and it was quite a nice discussion on how those who care are strengthening their efforts to keep the weaving culture alive, learn more about regional designs, documenting it, reviving designs from museum archives (yes a long time ago), and perhaps where to see the industry flourish in the next couple of years.

Professor Dr. Vincent Houben from Humboldt University in Berlin says "I'm very happy to have this happen, to put in place this program to advance Philippine studies. The PH and Germany are close and very intertwined. Rizal spent quite some time here and we have lots of information about that. We're thinking in some scales we can focus with the Philippines and see in a context where there is a weaving connection. The Philippine culture needs to be seen in a broader sense. Through the program over the past couple of years, we're grateful that we have a lot who have done their studies about the country, welcome from Europe."

Analyn Salvador Amores the project leader of Cordillera Textiles Project UP Baguio says "Weaving communities in the Cordillera region exist and empower communities. Cordillera region is in North Luzon from the ranges in Apayao to the more central Nueva Vizcaya, an Igorot domain. Through trade, inter-marriage, weaving patterns have similarities in this study. These communities have a long history of weaving, you can see this in the tribal photos from various photos archived in the US, Russia and other countries. Textile are produced through natural fibers, and cotton, manually weaved with sticks passed on from generation to generation. Lowland Ilocanos introduced new ways through export and trade. Fabric was traded for goods, food, poultry and farm products. There is a decline in weaving in the region because of an aging population, decrease in master weavers, lesser interest in generations thereafter. The government has taken steps like endorsing acts for the use of Philippine tropical fabrics for uniforms of public officials, employees and festivals. They also enacted resolutions for research, put up school for living traditions that promote indigenous weaving but met challenges as it has been not sustainable, and has lesser funding access. In the recent years, there is a resurgence in textile weaving including geographical sourced Cordillera textiles identified with certain communities. The CordiTex currently is doing multi disciplinary research and vigorously documenting textiles. Now local weavers get to access records, learn and re-learn weavings as we continue to do anthropological fieldwork in the Cordillera."

Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda concentrated more on the resurgence on the demand for the more intricate production of Piña Seda (silk) fiber and says "We started in the school of oriental studies 5 years ago. There's so much I have to say about Pina Seda Weaving and Embroidery in the Philippines. It is not just done in my province of Aklan, but in different regions in the country. Traditional textiles are ties that bind, it links the past to the present and brings together cultures no matter how diverse it is. It's a synergy between workers and artisans, several hands are needed to make one fabric alone, not to mention the designer and embroidery of which women would hand make it from farm to shop. Since 1998 we have worked to enact this into law to not just protect but help the industry. The pineapple plant is not indigenous to the Philippines but we have made way to produce the red variety of fibers from it. It is laborious to produce it and the influx of imported fabric and fashion trends made it dwindle. With government efforts, provinces have been tapped to produce this including Aklan, the Bicol region, Cavite, Davao, Misamis Oriental, Laguna, Cagayan, Saranggani has been tapped to produce it. Mulberry farms are needed to produce silk in the Philippines, and demand has remained high for it. In a bid to produce more Pineapple fiber, machinery has been provided to farmer cooperatives in plantations so they can increase production  of pineapple fiber. There's a need for convergence of government agencies, so they can continue building capacity, promote domestic trade and do a systemic development in marketing the fabric. All of these are necessary to produce products to respond to immediate needs of the public. The DA should assure steady supply, DTI can help promote these fabrics through trade fairs both locally and abroad. TESDA can also do skills training for weavers and embroiderers and have a nurturing environment for this industry. It is one way of showcasing our traditional textiles in the hopes to further promote it in different markets. It takes support from legislation to make things happen, soon we will have more galleries in different parts of the country. We plan to put up documentation centers, conservation agencies, to help farmers, weavers, local textile manufacturers and establish centers where they can get services in processing. If there's a desire, there's a need, and we need to support them. It will also provide jobs for the countryside, the Philippine Piña Seda is a prized fabric and it is truly world class. I wish to go back in time and tell you that the task before us is to help our people value and continue our heritage, we must open doors of opportunities for weaving communities and promote greater support for our cultural enterprises."

Honestly, it was like a breather to hear them be optimistic about Philippine fabrics and with a good amount of systems in place, plus continuous efforts in policies and funding, the future looks bright for the weaving industry. It's definitely a pillar for the fashion industry and without the raw materials, how can one create? I feel as the economy is slowly going back to normal, this deserves the attention it should get. It's part of culture, and without it, we would cease to exist as Filipinos because it makes us who we are as a nation.

A Talk on Philippine Textile Weaving

Looks like the fabric gods in the Philippines will be pleased as a talk on native textile will happen today at 4PM (Manila time) on Zoom. This is hosted by Humboldt University Berlin and Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda will be their guest speaker along with Dr. Analyn Salvador-Amores from the University of the Philippines in Baguio. It is entitled "Habi: Weaving Philippine Textiles Future" and will cover mostly what we're internationally known for, the various natural fabrics manufactured here in the country.

If you wish to join the interesting talk, you may register here. You only have a few minutes to do that because it starts at 4PM today.

The Philippines is also the biggest source of Pineapple fabric which is produced in Kalibo, Aklan but we do have other regions who weave and do the same for other natural fibers. This would be an interesting topic especially for the fashion industry who's probably ailing right now because of the pandemic. Go register and see you at the event!

Make Clothes, Fabrics, COVID Free with NATUCAIR

Being clean these days is not just a need, but a necessity. With the pandemic, we're all confined in the comforts of our own home and try to live day by day, to survive and hope the numbers go down in the country. While that ain't happening yet, we follow government protocols, safety procedures that make sense, and just about anything that would make sure we won't be causing the spread of it in our own homes. 

You've got your alcohol, hand wash and cleaning stuff for your body, but when it comes to fabric, what do you do? Well for starters, you use things like Natucair. This fabric and linen spray from Earth Corporation just disclosed their ground breaking research about it ridding of 99.9% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in suspension. The research was done in Japan Textile Products Quality and Technology Center in
Kobe, Japan. Yuya Suzuki of Earth Corporation's Research and Development team says "We areso happy for our team of scientists and researchers who made this groundbreaking confirmation about Natucair. Filipinos should have options of products that help them stay safe from the dangers of COVID-19. We’re glad Natucair is on that list!"

With the recent announcements of daily cases that surged to 9,838 (which is super alarming!) as announced by the Department of Health, we all have to make sure we have every base covered. If a person goes out for errands, or get their clothes compromised whether its polyester, poly-cotton and 100% cotton. This also applies for healthcare workers who need to take home and wash their clothes or their inner wear. Natucair takes care of what you wear against bacteria, germs and viruses.

These days, you can never be sure so taking extra precaution against the dreaded virus is always welcome. If you haven't had one, maybe it's time you get Natucair.

EPSON x John Herrera: The AGILA Collection

I have seen his work a few years ago and it's been a while since I have seem him do a show in Manila. John Herrera has taken the world by storm by winning London Emerging Designer Awards back in 2015. He's known for his very detailed workmanship, drama, couture and travel inspired collections in the past and the award has paved the way and gave a lot of opportunities for the Filipino designer. 

He's gone to the limits, even the fine line of proper designed garments and textures which he finds interesting so he goes the mile to include it in his pieces. This time however, he worked with world renowned printer brand EPSON to create his new collection called AGILA (The Philippine Eagle), a mix of art and technology, a feat which he found very challenging. He's up for it though (judging from his reaction during the short interview in Shangri-la Plaza) and even though this process would mean printing his own fabrics, he trusted the people who made his vision into reality (graphic design and Photoshop included), and of course the lovely EPSON Sure Color F-series (which are dye sublimation digital textile printers) namely the Sure Color SC F9270 and the SC 6270.

Sure Color SC F9270 (top) and the SC 6270 (bottom)

These printers are designed for industrial level roll production. So imagine how you would be able to print your designs in fabric, the possibilities are endless! For designers, fashion enthusiasts and those who would like to have their original work make into an excellent outfit that your clients would be proud of to wear. This definitely will make prints that could get your images in the forefront of fashion, isn't that what people want in the first place?

I particularly like the hoodie coat that Mark McMahon wore during the press preview. It's edgy, the print was intricately detailed and quite uncommon. It's very neo-Japanese but still got that persona of the Philippine Monkey Eating Eagle done in feathers, actual bird images and colors in white shiny fabric. I also like the light quilting on some of the pieces (the jackets, the kimonos, don't get me started!), the bias cut skirts which he had later on in the show, the flowy printed scarf dress,  Oh and if you're already impressed with the output, this is actually the first time he's done this. That right there is pushing the envelope and the 30 piece collection done that night was equally stunning!

Here's photos from his IG account, credits to their house photographer:

I think the AGILA collection will also be shown in London a couple of weeks from now. Who would have known that a printer could do this right? I'm very impressed, just wished I brought my camera on the runway show though, perhaps next time! Thank you for the opportunity to cover your event EPSON Philippines! This is really unbelievable!

Photo credits: http://johnherreracouture.com/

For those who want to see the printers and more, check out https://www.epson.com.ph/. For John Herrera's work, take a look at his line over at http://johnherreracouture.com/.

KUMAGCOW

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Dove Men + Care Invisible Dry Tested on 100 Colors of Cotton Fabric

Hi people! I'm John, and just like many of you, I'm fond of wearing black shirts. It could be any shirt, any color, but I'm fond of it because it makes me look thin. I'm sure some of you probably know that. 

The problem with wearing clothes of this nature is, when you use deodorants and it ain't that dry, it gets caught in it. I painstakingly make sure I don't do that but kinda forget when I'm in a hurry. You see, if you're not careful, it will really damage your clothes no matter what material that is. I'm sure you've experienced that, seeing your thousand pesos worth of cotton shirts ruined in one use. That's not a good thing. Dove Men Care has something up their sleeve though, it makes you "not think at all" about your clothing when you use it everyday. Have you heard of invisible dry?

Now if you're worried about white deodorant stains on your clothes, this antiperspirant from Dove Men Care won't do that at all. It's alcohol free, works 48 hours and has moisturizer so you won't get irritated. That's quite reassuring to know especially when it's hot outside and you know it will cause US Filipino men to sweat profusely. I mean, would you hang out with men when you see this on their clothes? That's just nasty, and if you think about it, if countless men have been having this problem and they stand beside you in buses or MRT trains, wouldn't that be a yucky moment? Exactly, that's why they probably made something to get that fixed.

Dove Men Care wants you to enjoy your day and never have to deal with any of these unhygienic things on your head. Aside from that, they've made it convenient for you to use if you prefer it in spray form or roll-on's which are still popular in the country. 

In this hot weather, men shouldn't be the one ending up smelly. Men should take care of themselves much like their family. Make sure you stock up on needed underarm care and get the best there is in the market without worrying about that shirt getting ruined. Women should get their men educated too, a little reminder won't hurt. This is technology in a bottle, which should be welcomed with open arms without that nasty thing under it. This has been done in 100 colors of fabric, have you heard the other brands do that? No.

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