So going to CITEM’s Manila F.A.M.E. is really a pilgrimage for me.  I can remember being blown away by the World Trade Center being transformed with drama, installations and even pocket gardens set-up by Budji Layug.

This year, it has once again lived up to its ideals.  Though the exhibit is a tad smaller and less “packaged” than a few years back, but the participants are just as exciting!

The first of which is The Pina Shop, home of the First in the World Natural Dyed Pina Fashion knitwear!

As with true eco fashion, multi-purposing is a must, how about this shawl turned headgear/ accent? How about turning this into your bridal veil? Filipina brides should be proud to wear this to their wedding!

I actually got introduced to them last year, but I wasn’t able to document their extraordinary work.

Looking at their clothes, I didn’t expect it was made from Pina.  Like any other Filipino, we are used to seeing Barong Tagalog and for us that has defined pina fibers’ ultimate purpose in fashion.  The feel is similar to wool but a little bit softer with subtler texture.  I have to get used to it though since my usual requirement (having shopped for children for a couple of years) is how soft the materials should be.  But according to Kiko Tacio, (their Sales and Marketing Head) Europeans just love! the texture.  According to him, these sweater are just as good for our hotter climate because it is 100% natural fibers and would allow the body to breathe and release heat.

The Pina Shop has transformed that notion and is transforming the industry with their advocacy of promoting Philippine natural fibers, resurrecting dead or dying enterprises such as cotton farming and Philippine knitwear manufacturing.

Would you believe these all these colors are from natural dyes?

Their story started with the demise of Transcontinental knitting company.  With skilled employees turning unemployed, a group of visionary ex-employees and dedicated owners forged ahead onto new grounds.

Thank you Kiko (left) and Antonio (Middle) for sharing the roots of The Pina Shop.

Finding alliances with former retrenched skilled knitters from other knitting companies that closed in the last few years, they were able to not only gain velocity for their project but has provided invaluable employment opportunities to countless families.

Pina knitwear doesn't look nor feels like the ordinary pina fabric.

As though that advocacy wasn’t enough, The Pina Shop also believes in taking it to a higher level and making their products not only 100% Filipino but more commendable is making it SUSTAINABLE.

From using pina leaves to making their threads...

To organic cotton right here in Dumaguete! and I thought organic cotton clothes can only be bought either in US or Europe, when its probably sourced from our rich Philippines!

Just a few years back cotton farming was dwindling, with CODA (Cotton Development Authority) planting cotton only for research.  But with The Pina Shop, they were able to ask their help to plant new stocks, help countless farmers find livelihood and produce Philippine organic cotton.

Imagine seeing whole fields with ripe cotton to be handpicked! Our cotton is even better than its Continental counterparts since its handpicked, there is less organic materials than machine picked cotton.

Organic cotton with processed pina fibers

Can you imagine, these yummy hues from natural dyes? Yes, since they were going sustainable, they used natural dyes in their fibers as well! Now that is Eco fashion!

This company is not only admirable because of their pride in being and promoting Filipino, they are also socio and eco responsible to boot.

Partnerships with families, communities, government agencies and fashion designers is something all industries should learn from and adapt.

It is not a wonder that they have gained the support of the DTI, CODA, Philippine Textile Research Institute under DOST and the following designers have also been good partners in their bid to make EcoPinoy fashion the fashion of choice.

Marlon Rivera

M Barretto, for male fashion

Twinkle Ferraren for resort and swimwear

The Pina line has only been around for 2 years while their organic cotton line under Gauge 12, for one year.  But seeing their collection and support from fashion designers and government agencies, we can also support them by patronizing and promoting their lines to everyone we know.

Hearing their people speak about the company, it’s so easy to hear the pride and passion they have for their company.  We should all be just as proud.  For The Pina Shop, it is not a matter of luck but a matter of staying true to being Filipino and being Eco that will carry them to success!  Cheers!

If you liked this, watch out for the next installment, this is just the first in a three part series of the best EcoPinoy Finds at MANILA F.A.M.E International.

You can still catch it up to Sunday, April 25, 2010.

And see, what EcoPinoy find would be your favorite.

————————————–

The Pina Shop
Unit H 5F Westagate Tower, Investment Drive, Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
(632)8425877
www.thepinashop.com

MANILA F.A.M.E. International
Asia’s Boutique Show
April 22-25, 2010
World Trade Center, Roxas Boulevard

Be happy.  Be Healthy.  Be Whole.

Make the Quaint things count,

Theresa

Follow me on Twitter
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Email me at myquaintlife@yahoo.com

But what about doing your own Easter celebration yourself.  As in, the whole production number.  Are you up to it?

For me, its a bit easy, I have mommy friends who are up to the same challenge and the task becomes easier and much more fun!

Here is our Easter Celebration last year.

Now, isn't this how the Easter Bunny would hide his eggs?

An Easter egg hunt will not be complete without baskets.

Can you imagine having running around looking for eggs?!!( I know I wish I was a kid again!!! )

So the hunt begins!

Where are the other eggs???

After running around, its time to count the eggs...

And after all that hard work... it's time for the treats!

Everyone gets a treat...

everybody passes it around.

Something to play with...

and most specially, something to eat.

Easter is really a time for fun!

to let the inner child out...

or just be.

Can you guess where we had this simply divine Easter?

Until next time...

This year we have to say “maybe next year” to our favorite spot because I have volunteered for an Easter activity in my community as an activity for our school.  So you might want to take our spot and enjoy this one of a kind Easter with your kids.

Just remember to tell me about it…

Be happy.  Be Healthy.  Be Whole.

Make the Quaint things count,

Theresa

Follow me on Twitter
Follow me on Facebook
Email me at myquaintlife@yahoo.com

P.S. The answer is U.P Beta Way… enjoy!

]]> http://myquaintlife.com/2010/04/03/best-way-to-celebrate-easter/feed/ 0 http://myquaintlife.com/2009/12/21/next-6-ways-to-a-12-days-of-a-green-christmas/ http://myquaintlife.com/2009/12/21/next-6-ways-to-a-12-days-of-a-green-christmas/#comments Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:54:12 +0000 Theresa http://myquaintlife.com/?p=1057 Having started with 6 ways to have a Green Christmas, it occured to me that it doesn’t sound quite right.  So here’s the next 6 to round it off to a good clean dozen… and help you celebrate 12 days of Christmas in 12 cool GREEN ways.

Making Christmas more meaningful can really be easy when we keep our sights on the same star.

7.  Do eco-friendly gift wraps

When it comes to eco-friendly giftwraps, less is so much more!

I don’t know about you, but giftwrapping is my thing!  I just love coming up with really nice wraps because it not only make the gift more festive, make it more special for the recipient, but makes me even happier giving it that way.

I just love making my own boxes so it becomes part of the gift itself.

Of course, I can not possibly do that for every gift but there are biodegradable / reusable gift wraps.  It’s still fuss-free and even guilt-free.

8.  Give gifts just as natural

Going natural and native doesn't mean tacky, you can find chic and fashionable gifts for just about anyone at trade fairs.

It is really so easy to just go to 168 Mall and buy the whole lot of hmmm, let’s say… Disney Princess plastic cases or disposable what-have-yous-office-thingies and avail of their oh-so-tempting wholesale prices!  But knowing that this will one day meet the trash-bin fairies, I decided to pass it up.  There are even wood toys in Divi that are soooo cute, but not knowing the manufacturer and with their super low prices, I opted not to for concerns of lead content.

So what else is there????!!!

The answer… go to trade fairs instead!  Read through my trade fair finds and you will definitely get an idea that there is really an alternative to disposable China products.  You not only bring new meaning to Christmas but literally make the Christmas of countless Pinoys in the provinces merrier!

9.  Use natural ornaments

Sometimes we just need to look back in our childhood and we get inspiration on how to keep things green, natural and still merry.

If you can not recycle or reuse, then do it naturally!  This way, even if you change your decor every year, you’ll make the land richer for more produce and even better Christmas decor selection in the years to come.  Being merry for a few weeks and should bring more cheer the whole year don’t you think?

10.  Enjoy some native Christmas goodies

Is it just me or looking at this basket of suman brings me back to Christmas Past. Where things are simpler and just as special.

I don’t know about you, but my kids and I can not get enough of puto bumbong and bibingka!  I’d like to see more gifts of uhmmm, maybe suman, puto or kakanin going around.

If you are from Malabon, you know what I mean.  Where else can you see people lining up in looong queues just to order their favorite kakanin?  Syempre pa, sa Dolor’s lang!  Tell me, is it a good thing to see them in malls now?  without the challenge of the long lines, is it really the same? hehehe

Fortunately, my mother is in the same thinking.  We don’t really talk about it, but this year, she decided to make suman for her gifts!  No fruitcakes or brownies for us, just good and satisfyingly-not-so-sweet suman.  My kids can only say, yummmyyyy!!!

11.  Make your own recycled / upcycled gifts

We are all familiar with the zesto banig weaved bags, but this silver bag using the inside rather than the outside from a Gawad Kalinga cooperative makes it quite chic don't you think?

This can be a bit tricky and very time consuming, but I do have a project for my little girl.  It’s a secret for now, but with 5 days left, I may still pull it off, I’ll tell you more about it.

If you can not make, for whatever reason, no time, no energy or whathaveyou, then just buy.  There are really so many alternatives, just go to Greenhills Tiangge, they have a Gawad Kalinga booth there near the fountain area where the other NGO booths are located.

12. Retell the Christmas story to your own kids

We used my kid's toys last year to do a puppet show of the nativity. It can also be just as easy for you, or just tell the story in your own words, believe me your kids will love it!

We tell the story every night, (or at least try to) in 4 week progression meaning the story is not finished until the fourth.  You can tell it at least once if that is too challenging.  The best time is on Christmas Eve, maybe just before opening presents, right?

You may think there is nothing GREEN about this, but if we stress the REAL importance of Christmas then it won’t be about the gifts and the toys.

We will be gently teaching our children to simplify, to be content and to be happy from within.  A great antidote for the wanting more and more stuff that may just end up in the trash one day.

Remember it’s not about being OC and making Christmas more stressful than it is!  Just try to do what is easy for you for now, and start from there.

So there you have it, 12 GREEN days of Christmas!

Be happy.  Be Healthy.  Be Whole.

Make the Quaint things count,

Theresa

This is actually a variation of the wedding flowers that I made for Pam and Dexter. But this time, I used hematite stars to match with the wedding theme.

Their colors are silver, white and blue. So rather than obsessing on getting blue flowers especially right after Ondoy. By using star clusters with blue lace and feathers to mimic galactic formations that were scattered startegically around the bouquet, we were able to pull it off.

The groom’s boutonniere was not spared from the “heavenly” treatment as well. With stars across his boutonniere, he is forever tied to the stars that brought him to his wife in this match made in heaven.

Shooting stars to wish upon ...

To add some playfulness and a play on the theme as well. The shooting star wand is not only supposed to be pretty but its represents the wish granted for their love’s ultimate wish on a falling star.

on a wand to make it come true.

So in case you find yourself “wishing” for your wedding that inspires you. Look up to the heavens and you might find the stars smile down on your favor and grant you a match truly made in Heaven.

Bridesmaids carry stars as well.

I actually did not meet the bride nor the groom for this project, I just discussed the details with the sister of the groom, who was also their coordinator. It was not until I delivered the flowers that I met the bride. I was so happy that she loved the flowers, and her comment “oohhh… I don’t want to cry yet” reminds me why I do the work I do.