HeritageFinds debuts new collections at Hibla Weavers' Fair
HeritageFinds debuts its "Naragsak" Collection, which combines innovative Philippine Tropical Fabrics with traditional Filipino textile artistry and local craftsmanship, at the Hibla Weavers' Fair from May 15 to 17 2026, at Gateway Mall 2.
Naragsak in Ilocano and Itneg signifies the joy of coming together, and this is reflected in the coming together of Northern and Southern indigenous textile traditions, in celebration of National Heritage Month.
At the Hibla Weavers' Fair, HeritageFinds showcased our men's wear and Naragsak jackets and skirts, using pineapple blended fabrics which includes the artistry of our weaving communities from Mindanao, Abra and Kalinga.
We were honored to be part of this fantastic event, which featured products from 18 amazing weaving communities from around the Philippines including NCR, Abra, Laguna, Ifugao, Rizal Benguet, Cavite, Oriental Mindoro, South Cotabato, Zamboanga, Ilo-ilo, Camarines Sur, Aklan, and Bukidnon.
The event has been organized by the J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF), Gateway Gallery, and the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), with support from the Phinma Foundation and LBC Foundation. Huge thanks to Director Julius Leano, the J. Amado Araneta Foundation and their teams, for bringing their vision of a flourishing Philippine handloom weaving and textile sector to life in such a vivid way!
As Diane Romeo, Executive Director of the J. Amado Araneta Foundation, said in her remarks: "It is our vision to create an inclusive communities that is worth sharing. Lahat sama-sama Sa magandang buhay." HeritageFinds has been thrilled to participate in sharing these principles with our customers.
Ms. Lorna Fabian, SVP of the Araneta Retail Group, emphasized the importance of the event to galvanize efforts towards Philippine heritage preservation and strengthening community enterprises, reminding us of the human side of this event - the stories of resilience, creativity, and heritage.
Photo credit: DOST-PTRI Facebook
DOST-PTRI held sessions on weaving techniques and structures, and presented its ongoing initiatives called DigiTelazation and its app called Salinhabi which aims to create a unified directory of weavers, makers and designers. Angie Ilul of Angie's Handloom Weaving performed a weaving demonstration of yakan tennun using backstrap loom.
Ms. Becky Martinez introduced Saori weaving, a type of Japanese weaving technique that focuses on creation and where "imperfection" is part of the art.
Visitors tried their hand at weaving on the theraloom, with guidance from DOST-PTRI, making the fair an interactive event.
Our sincerest thanks to everyone who supported the event. We hope to see you again soon.
Photo and video credits: DOST-PTRI and Hibla at Araneta City Facebook Accounts.
Partner Links:
Hibla at Araneta City: https://www.facebook.com/HIBLAatAranetaCity
DOST-PTRI: https://www.facebook.com/ptri.dost
Gateway Gallery: https://www.facebook.com/GatewayGalleryPH/
Selected Media links:
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/metro/987353/hibla-weavers-fair-invites-public-to-meet-filipino-handloom-weavers/story/
https://tribune.net.ph/2026/05/07/araneta-city-hibla-weavers-fair
https://tribune.net.ph/2026/05/16/celebrating-the-artistry-of-filipino-weaves
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1274861
Media launch:
https://tribune.net.ph/2026/05/12/hibla
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/metro/987353/hibla-weavers-fair-invites-public-to-meet-filipino-handloom-weavers/story/
https://philippinedailypost.com/manila/hibla-weavers-fair-invites-public-to-meet-filipino-handloom-weavers/
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1274861