Local, slow, green, and sustainable fashion is making its mark in the country—and one happy byproduct is a renewed love for indigenous textiles!
If you check your IG feed, you’ll notice more ready-to-wear pieces, accessories, and shoes featuring one-of-a-kind handwoven artisanal designs and patterned textiles. If you ask us, this may be the start of a local fashion renaissance!
In support of this movement, we’ve listed some cool fashion trends inspired by our weaving communities and where you can get them!
Woven fiber bags 
Woven fiber bags have a way of adding a breezy, summery element to any OOTD. Check out Zarah Juan, famous for its quirky woven bags like the Jeepney-shaped Busina Mini and the viral Jeepney Tote! The bags are made in partnership with weaving communities like the Cavite Cane Weavers and the Abra Weavers.
Visit the Cavite Cane Weavers in Molino City, Cavite, and while you're there, check out historical landmarks like the Bonifacio Trial House and Corregidor Island. You can also watch loom weavers at work by visiting the Abra Weavers in La Paz!
Footwear with indigenous elements
Clogs and flats with a tropical touch? Yes, please! The shoes by local footwear brand Annie and Lori are great examples of this trend. The brand shot to cult status after British Vogue 2020 featured its Meghan Inabel shoes—a low-heeled mule made with the handwoven Inabel textile.
Inabel is a brightly colored fabric featuring the binakul pattern, designed to ward off evil spirits. It is produced by weaving communities in Pinili, Ilocos Norte. If you visit, you may even learn how to weave via the basic weaving courses offered by the local government.
Woven cloth bags
Woven cloth is deeply ingrained in the Filipino weaving tradition. Rags2Riches specializes in elevating leather bags and totes with special woven cloth textiles. Their bags feature textiles like the T’nalak textile of the T’boli tribe. T’nalak is unique—the T’bolis dream the patterns they weave into each one, making them special.
The T’boli tribe call Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, Mindanao home. Travelers cruise across this lake, go bird watching, spelunk, zip line, and also experience firsthand the T’boli tribe’s weaving traditions.
Pina cloth fashion
Slow fashion brand Lakat Sustainables creates minimalist handmade sneakers made from our very own piña cloth! Each small batch is naturally dyed. Get them in various styles like a low-cut, high-top, or slip-on and create your own eco-friendly capsule wardrobe.
The pineapple-cotton fiber is handwoven by Hiligaynon weaving communities in Kabankalan, Negros Oriental in Central Visayas. The area is known for its natural attractions like the Mag-aso Falls and Mag-aso Cave, and colorful festivals like Sinulog sa Kabankalan and Udyakan.
Abaca everythingAbaca fabric has always been a favorite of fashion designers because of its interesting texture and durability. Designers like Lenora Cabili from Filip + Inna are having a blast incorporating it into modern clothing, working hand-in-hand with 22 indigenous groups. This creative fusion of tradition and contemporary style highlights abaca’s versatility and brings a playful touch to Filipino fashion, giving it a unique and exciting flair.
One of Filip + Inna’s collaborators is the Tausug of Palawan, Luzon. Palawan is consistently ranked as one of the best islands to visit in the world, with its white sands, clear blue waters, limestone cliffs, shipwrecks, and marine life.
These pieces and brands prove that what is ours is beautiful and worth advocating. Explore these unique fashion pieces as their birthplaces by traveling the country! Get to know what’s ours—-you’ll be surprised at the many gems you haven’t discovered.
Plan your travels soon! Check out the Philippines’ Tourism Board website and Facebook to learn more.
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
