Balai Kamay is a social enterprise that produces custom wood items. The company employs woodworkers from Tondo (an area in Manila known to be concentrated with the urban poor) to construct whatever the client needs. Mostly, their most notable products are gift boxes and home cabinets. We saw an opportunity to get creative!

Wood, especially something as lightweight as what Balai Kamay offers, allows us to design more structured bags without the use of plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This little innovation led the way to one of our newer designs, the Kahon! We use wood panels commissioned from Balai Kamay as gussets to our sturdy sling bag.

Rei Tugade founded Balai Kamay in 2016. Having studied business administration, she naturally ventured into the corporate world, helping grow small enterprises. She was in the process of looking for souvenirs for her sibling's wedding when an idea sprung for a potential business venture: woodwork crafts!

To get the company off the ground, Rei maximized the plethora of programs and projects offered by the Department of Trade and Industry: Negosyo Center (Quezon City), Kapatid Mentor Me, Design Center of the Philippines, and their Shared Service Facilities. Balai Kamay has since then become a regular at major fairs such as Sikat Pinoy and Manila FAME.

Mangyan Ramit is a proud product of the Buhid and Hanunuo—two of the eight indigenous groups from Mindoro collectively known as the Mangyan. As seen in the image above, Mangyan Ramit is identified by its intricate geometric patterns. The Hanunuo Mangyan called their weaving process “habilan” and the machine that makes it possible is the “harablon” (backstrap loom).

Weaving is not just a practical necessity, in some tribal communities it is a spiritual tradition. Cradled amidst verdant mountains and the calm waters of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, the women of the T’boli weave with divine inspiration. It is believed that Fu Dalu, the Goddess of Abaca, visits her chosen weavers in their sleep, bringing them visions to recreate on the loom when they wake.

Because of the nature of the fabric’s inspiration, the process is treated with respect and reverence; weavers take care not to step on the fabric, even guarding their own temperament while weaving.

Fu Dalu does not speak to everyone. The distinction of a Dreamweaver is a rare one, even if the quiet town of Lake Sebu is known as “The Land of the Dreamweavers”. Those who do not possess the gift are still free to study and master the craft. 

The traditional textile patterns that are woven by the Dreamweavers are what we call T’nalak but the T’boli tribe also weave other pattern variations, which are the ones we use in our pieces.

The T’boli started to sell their weaves commercially out of necessity. The weaves are now readily available whether as a piece of fabric or as part of other products. For our Spring/Summer 2013 Collection, we wanted to highlight the T’boli textile with a zigzag pattern alongside the signature R2R weave.

Binakol is a specific type of Abel Iloko characterized by a geometric pattern of squares and rectangles. The effect gives an optical illusion of movement as if a circle is radiating or expanding outward. Depending on the dialect spoken or origin of the textile, its name slightly changes: binakol, binakul, binakael, or binakel.

Binakol’s distinct pattern is meant to represent the wind (alipugpog) and the waves (kurikos/kusikos). Other less common motifs are a fan (pinalpal-id) and cat’s pawprint (tinaleb or sinan paddak ti pusa).

Pinilian is an Abel Iloko characterized by a sophisticated brocade weave. The cloth is made on a pedal loom or pangablan (as called in Ilocano). Sticks are inserted on chosen warp (lengthwise) threads to create designs or patterns that look as if they are "floating" on the surface of the fabric. Red, white, and yellow were the traditional go-to colors of the Pinilian. As seen in the sample above, the motifs largely symbolize humans and our natural environment.

In the town of Pinili, Ilocos Norte they have a technique called "impalagto" that is unique to the locality. Both the warp and weft (crosswise) threads are manipulated for an elaborate pattern.

Binetwagan is another type of Inabel from Ilocos. As mentioned, historically, weaves hailing from Ilocos were used as sails for the galleon ships during the Spanish Era because of its durability. They were also used as tributes like gold as it was considered at par with the brocade textile of Europe back then.

One interesting fact of Abel Iloko weaves is that they were used by the Ilokanos to communicate safely to one another during the colonization period. They did this by passing on the embroidered designs of the cloth from one town to the next. 

Kundiman is another specific type of Abel Iloko, this time defined by fine and subtle patterns; including smaller diamonds within diamonds, waves, and other geometric shapes. As a result of its more subdued design, it may sometimes appear as a plain, yet still patterned, blanket.

Its name, Kundiman, is actually the genre of a traditional genre of Filipino love songs and serenades; with gentle rhythms yet dramatic intervals. Therefore, Kundiman textiles are traditionally given as gifts to couples, newlyweds, or families. The woven threads of the fabric are said to symbolize the bonds of a couple, and the family they will eventually have together.

Kantarines fabrics are handwoven with a loom in the Abra region. They are characterized by their striped design, often coming in varying widths, colors, and combinations. It’s considered an everyday textile.

The fabric is said to have gotten its name from the weavers tradition of singing (kanta) as they create it. No wonder it’s so colorful and so elegant! The textile itself is woven with so much care and so much joy.

We’ve used Kantarines textiles on several of our products, including the 4-Way Top, the Kamara Bags, and our R2R Living pieces!

Ikat is a fabric that has been found all over Asia and beyond—across Central and South America. Evidence supports that Ikat circulated through maritime trade as well as developed independently in several locations. Within the Philippines, Ikat may be found in the Ifugao province.

Ikat is known best for its resist dyeing technique. The desired pattern is drawn on the warp and/or weft yarns; the strands are bundled, tightly wrapped together, then dyed as desired; then finally, threads are realigned on the loom and woven together into a finished product.

Ilaglis is a type of weave used by the indigenous Kalinga people of the Cordilleras Region for their “ka-in” or “tapis”—wrap-around skirts. The textile is made using Ifugao Ikat, a style of hand-weaving that involves resist dyeing.

Weavers draw their pattern inspirations from nature. Traditionally, the colors indigo and red symbolize the sky and the ground, respectively; mountains are embroidered into the fabric in yellow. Other symbols include the figure of the man, his spear, or a snake. Beading is also a common feature in Kalinga textiles. Adorning your ka-in or tapis with shells or mother-of-pearl platelets are considered a symbol of wealth in the landlocked region.

Members of different tribes in the region identified themselves through the distinct designs of their textiles. The Kalinga community lives on the eastern side of the Cordillera mountain range. They are considered the “Peacocks of the North” for their elaborate dress, personal ornamentation, and tattoos.