The Philippines is home to various native textiles and fabrics thanks to its abundant resources and storied indigenous communities. However, the majority of these textiles have unfortunately been relegated as souvenirs or examples of indigenous artistry.
The Philippine Textile Council (HABI) has been at the forefront of preserving these textiles and marketing them to a new generation of wearers and the Likhang Habi Market Fair is one of the largest events that celebrate the breadth and diversity of Filipino textiles.
Now in its 14th year, the Likhang Habi Market Fair was the first project of HABI as part of its mission to preserve, promote, and enhance Philippine textiles through education, communication, and research, using public and private resources. “It’s what gets the textiles out there, and how people get interested about it, and how we can help our weavers through selling and entrepreneurial spirit,” said HABI president Mia Villanueva.
From its first staging which featured 12 vendors, Likhang Habi has grown to over a hundred in its recent editions. This year’s fair gathers weavers, artisans, designers and brands from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao–Cordillera, Zamboanga, Ilocos, Socksargen, Negros, Bangsamoro and more.
HABI travels to different corners of the country, visiting weavers and artisans, getting to know them and their art, finding that magical combination of talent and tradition in the grassroots, and opening doors for them. HABI secretary Rambie Katrina Lim said, “We realized that many of the weavers and crafters are actually quite isolated, so they need a platform to grow and show their product and tell their story. The market fair is a chance for them to interact with a bigger market.”
The market fair gives the weavers and artisans the opportunity to showcase and sell their creations–textiles, garments, bags, home decor, jewelry and more. Rambie said, “The variety of products is always amazing. They also know that at Likhang Habi, they can sell the nicer items because the customers who come are quite discerning and also know what great textiles are.”
Thanks to HABI’s efforts, traditional textiles are no longer viewed as just material for native costumes, they’ve become part of daily life. Another indicator of their success is the growing interest in weaving and Philippine textiles among young people. For a long time, there was concern that weaving was a dying art, that the next generation wasn’t interested in continuing what those before them had started.
It’s not just young weavers who are taking interest. HABI also has many young volunteers who are eager to help the cause, including Filipino kids who grew up abroad and are wanting to reconnect with their roots. Among the volunteers are also new interns who have a lot of ideas for products that appeal to people their age. Villanueva said, “One intern is creating her own paper dolls. At HABI, we really focus on education because we want to transfer it to the next generation.”
The year’s Likhang Habi Market Fair theme, “Earth To Loom: Celebrating Natural Dyes in Philippine Textiles,” is something that also speaks to the younger generation, a generation known for their concern about climate change and passion for sustainability. The market fair will be happening at the Glorietta Activity Center from October 18 to 20.
