"RE-STORY-ATION: Weaving Creators, Communities, and Connections" opened at the UP CHE Museum at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City on December 12, 2023.
Spearheaded by the British Council Philippines and Forest Foundation Philippines and supported by HerStore Asia, the exhibit features the works of Grantees who participated in the Woven Networks Scoping Grants initiated by the British Council and Forest Foundation in 2022.
Panublix co-founder Claire Juanico introduced Panublix’s research project at the launch event with Jocelyn Mayao, weaver of the bamboo-blended cotton fabric from Indigenous Enabel Craft sharing her experiences in weaving to a full audience of students, professors, designers, organization representatives, and textile enthusiasts.
Featuring (from left to right) Ms. Jocelyn Mayao (Weaver, Indigenous Enabel Craft), Ms. Kim Quiñola (Faculty-in-charge, CHE Costume Museum), Dr. Shirley Guevarra (Dean, UP College of Home Economics), Ms. Antonia Mangsat (Member, Indigenous Enabel Craft) and Asst. Prof. Kristyn Caragay (Assistant Professor, Department of Clothing, Textiles and Interior Design, UP College of Home Economics)Â
Panublix joins the other grantees, namely Carmen Lopez and HerStore Asia Women Enterprise Partners, Life College, Emmanuelle Andaya, and the Kalandang Higaonon Weavers in showcasing collaborative projects that explore the relationship between craft communities and forest conservation together with their respective UK partners connected through the British Council Philippines.Â
Panublix co-founders Ria San Gabriel and Claire Juanico and Panublix team members Sam Cello and Miuccia Olivares with Jocelyn Mayao (leftmost) and Antonia Mangsat (rightmost) of Indigenous Enabel Crafts stand in front of the Panublix bamboo exhibit.Â
Panublix’s installation sheds light on the journey behind the development of bamboo from plant to woven textile, featuring the organizations and communities involved in this endeavor including Indigenous Enabel Craft, our partner weaving community in Isabela. Notably, the DOST-Philippine Textile Research Insitute (PTRI) led the production of the innovative bamboo-blended cotton yarns used in creating the blended fabric.Â
Visiting all the way from Isabela, Jocelyn Mayao and Antonia Mangsat of Indigenous Enabel Crafts attended the event as Panublix’s honored guests. We truly appreciate their presence as they shared how they have been exploring the potential of natural materials like silk, cotton, and now bamboo. Jocelyn Mayao personally handwove the bamboo-blended cotton fabric displayed at the exhibit.Â
The exhibit displays two types of handwoven bamboo-blended cotton fabric. Unsoftened and softened bamboo-blended cotton using chemo-mechanical softening done in DOST-PTRI Innovation Center for Yarns & Textiles (ICYT).
The bamboo-blended cotton jacket and bambeach chair by Bambike shows the durability of bamboo as a raw material and its innovative use in fashion and furniture.
Information materials explain the production process with a focus on the fiber production development of the Philippine Textile Research Institute’s (DOST-PTRI) involving Bamboo Textile Fiber Innovation Hub (BTFIH), Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center (RYPIC) and Innovation Center for Yarns & Textiles (ICYT).
Closeup of unsoftened bamboo-cotton blend fabric handwoven by our partner weavers at Indigenous Enabel Craft. Visitors are encouraged to feel the texture of the handwoven textiles currently under development and provide feedback through an online form.
RE-STORY-ATION serves as a platform to amplify the voices of culture bearers, indigenous communities, and keepers of traditions. We invite you to explore the exhibit and discover the stories behind the crafts and textiles on display.Â
The RE-STORY-ATION Exhibit is open for viewing at the UP CHE Museum until March 11, 2024. Click here for directions on Google Maps.
Interested in Panublix's Bamboo-Cotton blend fabric? Join our waitlist to be the first to know when it's available. Sign up here.