SOCIAL SET

Piña fiber takes center stage at U.N. fashion summit

Luis Espiritu · Sep 27, 2026, 7:44 AM

Andrea Ionica Abrahan, Christine Cheryl Benet, Angelo Lacson, Zarah Juan, Rafe Totengco, Wilma Huang, Evangeline Manalang, Anna Marie Alzona, Elizabeth Baja, Carissa Evangelista and Cathy Delantar.

Ambassador Enrique Austria Manalo, Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN Headquarters, New York.

Journalist, public speaker, Climate Justice and Human Rights advocate Sophia Li with AX-Foundation secretary general Maria Smith.

The Philippine piña took center stage at the United Nations Headquarters in New York during the UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network (UNFLN) annual meeting on 16 September. Aligned with NY Fashion Week, a high-level Philippine delegation led by UNFLN Philippines Representative Wilma Santos-Huang presented the traditional handwoven fiber as a premier, eco-friendly luxury material for modern global design. The historic showcase captivated international textile innovators, highlighting Filipino artistry and the fabric’s transition from a revered cultural heritage textile into a leading solution for circular and resilient fashion systems.

Founder and creative director Maison Motema Verlaine-Diane Soobroydoo, Instituto E executive director Andreia Montero, The Artisan Archive founder Aditi Mayer, director of Brand Partnerships and Development OEKO-TEX Lucy Murphy.

Vice president Media Relations and Public Affairs of Pandora Johan Melchior and secretary general of Ax-Foundation Maria Smith.

Chief of Office, UN Office for Partnerships Lucie Brigham.

Piña and knitwear by Lulu Tan Gan.

Terno by Jor-El Espina and dress by Philip Rodriguez.

During the panel session on “Smart Materials for a Sustainable Future,” material experts and designers underscored the piña fiber’s advanced engineering. Evangeline Pascua-Manalang of the DoST-Philippine Textile Research Institute highlighted the textile’s natural properties as a zero-waste, biodegradable and carbon-frugal luxury alternative to synthetic materials, emphasizing its organic breathability, strength, and lightweight nature.

PIñA Futures by HABI.

The event successfully demonstrated how blending heritage craftsmanship with scientific innovation creates just, sustainable and high-performance pathways for the global fashion industry.