Bohol raffia weavers benefit from growing global demand

CEBU, Philippines – Over a thousand raffia weavers from Bohol will most likely benefit from the growing demand for raffia products from international markets such as Europe, United States, and Japan.

With the help of the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-7), Bohol raffia weavers set the trend of produc-ing products made of raffia mixed with other sustainable materials for the global market.

Orders started to come in volume after finished products of the raffia weavers were showcased in various international shows such as the Bijoux Cebu 2010, Manila FAME exhibit, and the Sandugo Trade Expo in Bohol.

From the 83 materials developed by the project called "Business Accelerator and Materi-als Innovation," 44 materials were chosen by the project's eight stakeholders namely; Bon-Ace Fashion Tools, GracieQ, Ferimar Import-Export, JimCaster International, Pa-cific Traders and Manufacturers, Design Ventures Inc., Hacienda Crafts Inc., and Bohol Beads and Fibers.

These stakeholders and exporters converted the materials into fashion accessories, bags, gift items and furniture, which gained modest success and orders from both local and for-eign buyers, said Ingrid Haufe, ECCP Materials Research and Development project man-ager of ECCP.

The program, which is also assisted by the European Commission's MART-Cebu (SMEs for Environment Accountability, Responsibility, and Transparency), is also trying to de-velop a pool of weavers that are capable of making new design patterns and mixed media applications based on the latest trends.

According to Haufe, indigenous materials are gaining popularity among foreign markets due to the increasing preference of many consumers for environment-friendly products.

"Bohol is one of the provinces in the region that supplies good quality raffia along with innovative and artistic designs by weavers, Filipino products will make a big hit in the international market. It is a win-win situation for everyone - more demand means an in-crease in profit for exporters and more work opportunities for weavers," Haufe said.

This development, Haufe said will set the trend in the global market thereby creating de-mand for Raffia-made products, incorporated and mixed with recycled materials such as newspaper and softdrink straws, among others.

Raffia is a straw-like material that is used in many different craft projects. It is an inex-pensive product that can be found in any craft store. There are many uses for raffia, rang-ing from gift embellishment to a special kind of massage therapy. Although it is mainly used as a fiber, it can also be woven. This palm tree is abundant in Bohol, and other parts of the Philippines.

From August until September of this year, 150 weavers in Inabaga and Tubigon towns in Bohol were trained to weave the materials for volume production. This time, they are taught for strict international standard and quality, said Haufe.

Currently, the project is focusing on upgrading the quality management systems of the weaving centers to ensure quality and volume orders.

Raffia weaving is one of the oldest crafts of Boholanos. In the past, weavers only enjoyed selling their products to local market or tourists. With the entry of exporters placing or-ders coupled with the effort from private organizations in improving the quality of craftsmanship and innovation, these weavers are projected to become global players in the next few years. (FREEMAN)