Ever since I could remember, I have always been fascinated by beautiful dresses, bags and shoes, and other fashion accessories. I have particularly admired and been amazed by items made with local materials, fabrics, and textiles.
When I started traveling abroad, I quickly noticed that our clothing designs matched and were even better in terms of functionality and elegance than the expensive items on display in their fashionable clothing stores. And the prices of our products were way below those on display.
Whenever I remember this fact, my mind inevitably focuses on our ailing textile industry which was vibrant and promising during the American occupation. Unfortunately, it began to decline shortly thereafter when cheap exports of various kinds of textiles from other countries began to flood our local markets.
We should all help the textile industry. The reason is simple, just like other internationally acclaimed local products, it defines our international standing and bestows upon us a national identity.
The same goes if I talk of Philippine furniture, especially rattan, which were works of art. I say "were" because I do not see them much around anymore in home furnishing stores abroad. Part of the problem I am told is the lack of local supplies of rattan which means that much of the rattan we currently use is imported. We apparently neglected the all-important supply chain, such as our products are now burdened with high input costs.
During the 1950s moving into the mid-60s, government employees and policemen were made to wear clothes made of local materials like Ramie. It marked a welcome turning point for the then-local textile industry. The clothes worn at that time were comfortable and very affordable.
Ramie is a natural fabric woven from the fiber of the ramie plant. It is also known as China linen or grasscloth. The fiber is much like flax, jute, or hemp in its appearance. The fabric is breathable and comfortable unlike like pure wool. It has a natural white appearance too.
It suited our tropical climate and clothes made from it were perfect for everyday wear. But as I said earlier, cheap imports of fabrics of different kinds captivated the local populace and the lack of popular support for the local textile industry began to slowly kill the industry.
We have other natural fabrics that are worth giving attention such as piña, abaca, and jusi. Many fashion shows have been held showing beautiful clothes using or incorporating these fabrics, but these are not enough to showcase the full potential of these local fabrics.
Other local fabrics and textiles that may be transformed into pieces of clothing come from the saluyot plant and possibly bamboo. Regarding the latter, the bamboo needs its woody part to be crushed and enzymes applied to break the cell walls, producing a mush that can be mechanically combed out and spun into yarn.
Cotton is another indigenous product that over time similarly faded but which we can today produce plenty of, given the availability of the new BT cotton variety. This cotton type produces a substance that is toxic to pests and is easier to grow, yielding more produce per square meter.
Currently, there are agencies that one way or another affect the industry. They include the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority, the Philippine Textile Council, and the Philippine Textile Research Institute.
There may be a need to consolidate these agencies into one which will have a mandate focused and devoted to developing, reviving, and strengthening the local textile industry.
