Handmade and handwoven picks for the summer

Our country’s indigenous arts and crafts are a testament to our rich cultural heritage. From weaving to woodcarving, pottery to metalwork, our forefathers were crafting long before the Spaniards came colonizing. When it comes to weaving, many parts of the Philippines have their own handwoven tradition, from the Inabel fabric of Ilocos in the north to the T’nalak cloth down in South Cotabato. You’ll find different intricate designs and patterns from local artisans who’ve learned their skills from previous generations and pass it on to the next.

Unfortunately, many of our local artisans skilled in weaving have long found themselves economically disadvantaged, putting many hours into the making of an item and pushed to sell at cheap prices. But we’ve seen makers and social enterprises, like Anthill Fabric Gallery, find a way to help develop these communities of local weavers, most of whom have had their own stories of trauma and fraudulent transactions. Local artisans are gaining more market access, learning to organize themselves, and other means to truly make a living from their skills and continue to bring a part of our heritage to life. Here are some of the handmade and handwoven picks from Common Room partners and their stories.

Woven

This social enterprise started in Basey, Samar, the banig capital of the country, when founders John Xavier Francia and Tricia Lim Francia found out what the banig makers were earning (a measly P150 for two-weeks worth of work) and wanted to change it. From organizing the banig weavers to finally setting up Woven, the couple wanted to see the lives of local weavers improve. Get to know more about Woven, what they do, and the products they help the weavers come up with. 

Woven picks: Whether you’re heading out of town or just enjoying a summer day out, bring a Woven Sling Bag (P1,499), a Bulsa Cardholder in Iloilo Plaid and Pink Leather (P999), or Lakbay Wallet in Benquet (P2,149)

Piesa

This homegrown brand is all about handcrafted wire jewelry that makes use of indigenous fabrics and has supported the circulatory efforts of Anthill by using their scrap weaves. Founded in 2011 by artist, crafter and entrepreneur Paula Pioquinto-Dimaano, Piesa stays true to its name as pieces of great substance with its statement pieces of necklaces, earrings, and cuffs.

Piesa picks: These Sha Maxi Hoops (P549) crafted from indigenous fabric-wrapped wire easily makes us think of maxi dresses, resort vibes, and orange sunsets, while the Piesa Swirl Lokal (P499) with its yellow color gives everyday wear a pop of bright shade. 

Habi

What began as a thesis project working with children. Janine Chiong and the other Habi co-founders realized that they needed to come up with a social enterprise that empowered women in underprivileged urban and rural communities (because helping women trickles down to helping the kids), so Habi Footwear and Lifestyle was born. While Habi started with footwear and concentrated in weaving, with materials as humble as scrap fabrics, they discovered that there was also a lot of potential with other materials like woven beads. In their previous interview with Common Room, Janine shared how Habi evolved with the communities they engage with, the different types of weaving being done, and products that came out of it.

Habi picks: Woven beads transform into delicate and lovely accessories with Habi's white Julia Bag with Fruit Accent (P1,839), orange Pocket Keychain (P359), and yellow Puso Pitaka Pouch (P399).

Style Isle

When it comes to beach-bound adventures, Style Isle brings island-inspired collections made together with indigenous and artisan communities in the country. From beach cover-ups to earrings, each Style Isle handmade piece makes use of handwoven textiles or excess fabrics. Knowing the amount of work and how much time goes into making those fabrics, Style Isle also never throws out any of the scraps and instead finds ways to make something fun and special out of them.

Style Isle picks: Let your fashion accessories express your style and individuality with these Style Isle Polygon Luable with Brass Gong (P859) and Style Isle Beaded Dia Woven Earrings (P1,199).

ThreadStory

Advocates for preserving Filipino craftsmanship and heritage, ThreadStory brings mindfully made fashion accessories and gift items to the market like our other featured brands. Whether they’re scarves or scrunchies, ThreadStory makes use of traditional weaving patterns and native fabrics. They create only limited pieces and promote circularity to minimize waste.

ThreadStory picks: (Clockwise from top left) Colorful weave patterns found in these small accessories: Pink Lakbay Pouch - Midi (P889), Gabriella scrunchies set of 2 (P589), Maria scrunchies set of 2 (P559), and Kuwero Flat Pouch (P759).