Horn sweet horn

Bazaars are one of the best places to see the latest in Philippine fashion and appreciate the ingenuity of our local craftsmen.

At the Fort Bonifacio bazaar, one of the booths that caught my eye was that of Silnag’s Raw Earth Collections of John and Nida Danao, a husband and wife team.  This unique jewelry and accessories line is made of natural raw materials such as shells, scrap wood, seeds and by-products of the food and farm trade. Cleverly and skillfully recycled, these almost useless parts are transformed into stunning accessories. None of the materials used are artificially manufactured and everything is from Mother Earth, at affordable prices that range from P1,000 to 3,000 for such beautifully handmade pieces.

Friends based in Europe and the USA mentioned that the high-end boutiques are currently offering similar items at more than 20 times the price, so when they spotted the Silnag booth, they each grabbed the carabao horn and cow bone necklaces not only for themselves but to resell abroad.

Nida Paduyao-Danao grew up in the mountains of Benguet and happily remembers her childhood — when she would gather various native plants and seeds in different colors, hues and sizes to make jewelry that she gave away to her sisters and friends. As the years went by, she thought of once again making fashion jewelry with materials that were eco-friendly and realized her dream in 2004 when Silnag started to make one-of-a-kind fashion jewelry out of natural, organic materials. The horn and bone are by-products of food so no animals are harmed for the purpose of obtaining these raw materials. No creatures are killed or harmed as the bones, horns and hoofs of the slaughtered carabaos and cows are utilized instead of being thrown away to fill up our already overflowing landfills.

The artisans use them to make stunning pieces with each piece meticulously designed, shaped and assembled. Due to the natural characteristics of the materials and its handmade production, every piece is distinct from the other.

“We started this company with two things in mind: to help in conserving the earth by promoting the use of natural materials — instead of using  plastic or synthetic materials — and to help give a decent livelihood to Filipino workers. Whenever we see the smiles in the faces of our children’s workers, we are inspired to continuously make new designs and make us more determined to keep on going,” Nida says.

By patronizing Raw Earth Collections, the buyer gives the workers livelihood and helps create a harmonious relationship with Mother Earth.

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For information on Silnag, e-mail john@silnag.com, SMS 0917-523-8353 or visit www.silnag.com

For comments and ideas, e-mail: jacinto.fa@gmail.com.