Rambie Lim: Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation marketing specialist, 'Pipiña' Pioneer, 31

MANILA, Philippines - • “My family’s foundation teaches women in Palawan to weave pineapple into a fabric we’ve branded as pipiña. They’re mostly the wives of fishermen and farmers. The women turn out a product that they’re proud of, from just being mere housewives to contributing more to the community and having more of a voice.”  

• “What we had a lot of growing up was community work. We used to have a farm in Batangas where we had summer camps, we made jams, and then employed the people living around us.”

• “I wanted to become a chef. I interned with Lolo Dad’s for two months when I realized I didn’t want to be tied down. I decided I wanted to further the cause of the foundation and make the product something viable. My mother created this beautiful fabric and I was there throughout the process. I’ve been in charge of creating the brand so it’s as much mine as it is hers.”  

• “The whole idea behind the industry is to make it sustainable. Not just to teach women a skill but also to find a niche and market it properly, creating a product that will continue to flourish.”

•“It was very important to me that pipiña was recognized locally. My next challenge would be taking it globally. And if I say I can fill an order, that I fill it not only with what is asked of me but with quality. It has to be a beautiful product; the more it’s out there, the easier it is for people to understand.”

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Lim presents a paper on the innovation of fabric at the World Eco-fiber and Textile Forum in Kuching, Malaysia this week.