WovenFoliage

14/04/2026

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Our third season of shines a spotlight on the Queen of Philippine Textiles — PIÑA. 🍍

Our story begins with its source: the Visayan Red Pineapple variety. Grown in the Province of Aklan, the country’s leading producer of piña fibers and handwoven piña cloth, this remarkable material carries with it a rich legacy of craftsmanship and culture.

This season unfolds a story of collaboration; honoring intricately woven heirloom piña barongs, thoughtfully patched together into a sustainable piece that celebrates both heritage and tradition.

Photos | Isabel Aquilizan (2020) 📍Balete, Aklan

13/04/2026

WovenFoliage proudly congratulates our volunteer, Kobe Joshua T. Juanillo, for his outstanding achievements at the recently concluded Mr. and Ms. PASUC – National Culture and the Arts Festival (NCAF) 2026, held at West Visayas State University in Iloilo City.

Kobe represented Region VIII - Eastern Visayas and earned the title of Mr. Eloquence (Best in Question and Answer) and secured a Top 5 Finalist spot for Best in Talent (Male); a testament to his excellence, confidence, and artistry on the national stage.

As a dedicated volunteer of WovenFoliage, Kobe has been instrumental in advancing our advocacy. Through his wardrobe and cultural gift in the pageant, he brings to life the stories of our local weavers, championing sustainability and heritage with every step.

Congratulations, Kobe! Thank you for helping us weave stories of hope, one leaf at a time. 🌿

Barong | AXEL QUE
Photos | Sinulid and The Fulcrum

17/03/2026

AGUNG — The official publication of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) — has released its July-December 2024 issue, highlighting our Founder’s inspiring research on Saguran-Raffia Weaving of Bohol! ✨

We would like to extend our gratitude to National Museum of the Philippines - Bohol for this successful collaboration.

At , we’re dedicated to preserving culture, through , one leaf at a time. 🍃

Photos: National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)

16/03/2026

joins the whole country in celebrating the National Women’s Month.

We are proud to have been working with women weavers in our documentation projects across the Visayan islands who continue in the lives of the communities they uplift through their woven art.

Lead like the Babaylans, Filipina Weavers! Mabuhay ang Kababaihang Pilipina! 💜

15/01/2026

with National Museum of the Philippines - Bohol🌱✨

𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬: 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀, 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Weavers and other artisans within their communities may be understood as bearers of inherited sacred and ancestral knowledge systems. Their practices extend beyond technical craftsmanship to include ritualized pre- and post-harvest observances that symbolically acknowledge and regulate their relationship with the botanical environment and fiber sources. These practices reflect deeply rooted socio-ecological values that mediate human–plant interactions and reinforce respect for natural resources.

Boholano weavers, in particular, possess extensive ethnobotanical knowledge in the harvesting of unopened leaves of the 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗶 𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗺 (𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙮𝙥𝙝𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙥.). In the municipalities of Inabanga and Tubigon, the 𝗦𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻 or weavers observe strict protocols that emphasize precision, timing, and environmental awareness. Harvesting is ideally conducted early in the morning, when the leaves are believed to be most receptive and resilient. A sharp bolo is used to make a single, deliberate incision along the stem, positioned at a sufficient height from the ground and oriented eastward—toward the rising sun—reflecting both practical and cosmological considerations.

Environmental conditions also play a critical role in the harvesting process. Sunny weather is preferred over rainy conditions, as excess moisture may encourage moss growth on the cut surface, potentially compromising the health of the palm. Such careful attention to technique and environmental context underscores a long-standing system of sustainable resource management.

These practices, refined and transmitted across generations, function as culturally embedded ecological safeguards. By ensuring the continued vitality of the buri palm, they sustain both the material foundations of weaving traditions and the broader cultural landscape in which these practices are embedded.

📑Ethnobotanical Knowledge of Saguran-Raffia Weavers of Bohol, Philippines by Christian N. Bacolod

08/01/2026

Thank you National Museum of the Philippines - Bohol for this feature. ✨

celebrates with you! 🌱

04/01/2026

joins the nation in celebrating Tropical Fabrics Month.

As an advocacy project, we remain dedicated to supporting and promoting local fibers and textiles through our ongoing documentation and research initiatives of Abaca cloth and Saguran-Raffia weave. 🌿🧶

Photo | A Saguran-Raffia woven template from Inabanga, Bohol.

31/12/2025

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During our search for Abaca cloth last March, we had the opportunity to meet an Ugpak (Sinamay) weaver from Brgy. Templanza, Matalom, Leyte, who has devoted much of her life to the craft of weaving.

Weaver Glecilda Timkang Lastra, aged 42, has been engaged in abaca weaving since the age of fourteen. She received thorough instruction from her mother and father on techniques such as knotting, warping, and weaving.

Assisted by her husband, who occasionally weaves Ugpak, they send their five children to school; one of them is pursuing college education and aims to become a teacher.

Weaver Glecilda’s woven abaca cloth will be featured in the Search for VSU’s Ginoong Malakas at Binibining Maganda next year. We are fortunate to have her works being highlighted in a university-wide event.


Photos | Elgin and Chan

30/12/2025

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Abaca grows abundantly in the wild where both direct sunlight and cold surroundings are present. Abacaleros find it challenging to harvest the plant, as it grows in steep terrain alongside rainfall and moist ground.

The pseudo-stem is the source of the fibers. It needs to be stripped manually or mechanically so that the fibers will be extracted. Manual labor requires physical strength, while machine-aided fiber stripping requires electricity.

The abaca fibers underwent a series of processes and were handled by multiple individuals before reaching the hands and looms of the weavers.



Photos | Chan

29/12/2025

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We will begin our second season of with the world’s strongest natural fiber endemic to the Philippines: ABACA 🌱

Abaca (Musa textilis), the plant, is a banana. Yet, it is known not because of its fruit but for its fibers. Abaca, the fiber, is recognized worldwide as “Manila hemp”, the fiber twisted into Manila rope, the seaman’s lifeline for generations.

Source | Sievert, Elizabeth. The Story of Abaca: Manila Hemp’s Transformation from Textile to Marine Cordage and Specialty Paper. ADMU Press. 2009
Photos | Chan
Special thanks to: National Abaca Research Center - Visayas State University

24/12/2025

Maligayang Pasko! Maayong Pasko! Merry Christmas! 👼

extends its warmest Christmas greetings to all artisans across the country. May your Art and stories continue to inspire us even more.

In photo | An Angel figure made of abaca fibers. Carbon Market, Cebu. 2025