FASHION WITH A CAUSE. Jesse Bog Madriaga of the Global Shapers of Davao and Yana Santiago, the co-head of the Unstitch fashion event, show two examples of products from Akaba that uses indigenous materials. Similar products will be part of the Unstitch fashion event on Saturday at the Philippine Women's College of Davao. (PNA photo by Lilian C Mellejor)
DAVAO CITY — A group is bringing home-grown fashion brands that utilize indigenous materials from Mindanao in the upcoming sustainable fashion fair dubbed “Unstitch”.
Jesse Boga Madriaga of the Davao Global Shapers said Unstitch is a global event that seeks to scale efforts on sustainable fashion, which hinges on environmental and sustainability campaign that started in 2013 in the United States.
To be launched on Saturday (April 27) at the Philippine Women's College of Davao, the event will showcase handcrafted products and use of indigenous materials such as the T’nalak -- a traditional cloth made by the Tboli people of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato -- and Maguindanao’s woven cloth, called Inaul.
Madriaga said Unstitch will also introduce "Fashion Revolution," a movement that "believes in the values of people, the planet, creativity and profit in equal measure."
Storytelling sessions will also be held, highlighting Mindanao fashion makers such as Sesotinawa, a community of artisans and cultural workers who bring together the culture, arts; and stories of the T’boli people.
According to Madriaga, the activities are intended to raise public awareness on the key issues that make up the relationship of fashion and sustainability — climate change, water stress, pollution, biodiversity, natural resources, modern-day slavery, and wellbeing.
“This will serve as a platform of exchanging ideas,” Madriaga said during Monday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM Davao.
Yana Santiago, the project co-head of Unstitch, said she hopes to draw people to reimagine fashion as a force for good through the event.
“Fashion Revolution invites us to rethink fashion, to love our clothes more, to become wiser consumers and to be mindful of how our daily fashion choices — buying, washing, disposal — make an impact on the planet as a whole,” Santiago said. (PNA)
