It all began when Jezethel Bandiola started to play.

“Our business started from my mother. Si nanay po, nagdedeliver po s’ya ng tela (My mom, she delivers fabrics),” the 22-year-old new Political Science graduate from Aklan, the daughter of a piña fabric dealer, recalled to DAILY TRIBUNE.

“Nag-start lang po ako na pinag-tripan ko lang ‘yung mga retaso ni nanay (I started my business just playing with my mom’s extra fabrics).”

Unknown to Jezethel, the earrings and necklaces she began to craft from excess piña from her mother’s business would turn out to be a blossoming business of her own, Bandiola Accessories.

Since turning her playtime into a business last year, Jezethel has been able to fly from Aklan to personally showcase her crafts at the recent ArteFino fair in Makati City.

From excess fabric, her products have also evolved to include precious materials like freshwater pearls from Aklan. From simple swirls, Jezethel’s designs have transformed into more intricate ones like the Philippine national flower and a favorite Aklan embroidery motif, sampaguita.

“So lahat po ng retaso namin, ginawa kong accessories (All of our excess fabrics, I turn into accessories)… tapos ngayon lang po, 2025, nag-start na rin po ako mag-invest sa mga freshwater pearls from Boracay (Then just this year, I began investing in freshwater pearls from Boracay). Inoorder ko po, ito na po sila ngayon (I order these pearls and here they are). Then last month, inimbento ko na po ‘yung earrings (I invented earrings),” said the self-taught designer, who admitted that sometimes, she gets inspired by other designers, but she makes sure to innovate and churn out original masterpieces.

Far from being her mom’s business “saling-pusa” (extra) as Jezethel described her business to be, her Bandiola accessories line has actually sold hundreds of pieces to both locals and tourists of her world-famous island province.

“May mga order ako na nadala na rin po sa America dahil ‘yung Ati-Atihan Festival namin, sikat sa Aklan (There were orders that were brought to America because tourists and Balikbayans go to Aklan’s famous Ati-Atihan Festival).”

Although her original plan was to become a lawyer, Jezethel professed that such a dream had to take a backseat first because she is still enjoying her brand, which sells online apart from fairs like ArteFino.