Worth its weight in paper

PEOPLE DEMONSTRATE THEIR CREATIVITY IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. Some draw, paint or sculpt, others express themselves through music and dance. Some people are gifted with a unique ability to create things, to fashion items of beauty out of the most ordinary things.

Gigi Gonzales is one of the very few whose creativity knows no bounds. A person who wears many hats, this 40-something business-woman exhibits her creativity with remarkable passion–as architect, designer, writer and, even sans toque, she also cooks and can whip up a mean roast pork with caramelized onions and applesauce.

In her house in Parañaque–a modest bungalow that is completely unpretentious, like the person she is –we sit in her porch, which she says is her favorite part of this very homey and welcoming place. "This is where I do most of my work. I love to sit here with my pen and paper and jot down any idea that comes to me," says the UP architecture graduate.

The ideas she has are what continuously make GSG Industrial Corporation one of the most successful SMEs in the country. GSG is a family business that her father Geoffrey and brother Tony put up in 1991. Although it was a collaborative effort among the family, Gigi says that Tony and her father are ultimately responsible for the company’s success.

"Pops (referring to her father) is a mechanical engineer and is the technical genius behind GSG. He was the one who designed and fabricated all the equipment we needed to get our business going," Gigi reveals.

Unlike most flourishing companies that started with a well-outlined business plan, GSG’s beginnings were quite serendipitous. "Pops and I had a construction business, and in 1988, one of our projects took us to Legaspi City in Albay, Bicol."

Frustrated by the fact that while there was a lot of raw lumber in the region, none of it was treated, the senior Gonzales decided to build a lumber processing plant. However, the government implemented a total log ban halfway through its construction. "We panicked because we put most of our earnings from our Legazpi project in that plant," shares Gigi. "So isip kami kung anong gagawin namin. And Tony, who was then a product designer for an export company that manufactured paper-based gift items, thought of producing handmade paper. He broached the idea to Pops, who said yes right away."

Thus, GSG was born, and at present, the company employs 150 people in its operations, maintenance, and production divisions.

As it turned out, Legaspi City was an ideal location for producing handmade paper. Situated just below the slopes of Mayon Volcano, the plant had access to mountain spring water, which is very important in producing quality paper, and abaca supply was abundant. Cellulosic agricultural wastes (rice husk and hull, coconut coir, banana, nipa, palm, water lily, leaves, flowers, and grass) from nearby farming communities were also readily available.

Designed in a wide range of colors reminiscent of Filipino fiestas, GSG’s handmade papers are rich in textures of abaca, salago, mango and tamarind leaves, and madre de cacao, among others.

Although the quality is outstanding, the company’s process of making paper does not differ much from the basic handmade paper making method introduced by the Chinese centuries ago. The basic sheet-forming procedures are still done in the traditional Oriental method, with each piece of paper individually created by using a bamboo mould and deckle. From this traditional method, the company introduced a semi-mechanized process to the actual sheet forming procedures, making the final product truly extraordinary.

Her father’s expertise in fabricating machines served the company well. "We could not afford the very high costs of new equipment so he went out of his way to go to all these government agencies and did his own research."

With these machines, GSG eliminated its production time significantly. What used to be a five-hour cooking time for fiber was cut to just two hours.

"Pops designed and fabricated a Hollander beater so we could make our own pulp. And instead of the traditional (sun- or air-) drying method for papers, we dried our paper sheets on stainless steel plates heated by a mechanical steam boiler. Dyan magaling si Pops. Genius siya talaga pag dating sa mga makina," shares the proud daughter.

Within seven months of building the paper mill, while simultaneously training the workers in handmade papermaking and drying skills and doing intensive research and product development, GSG joined the 1st Papel Likhang Kamay organized by the Center for International Trade Exhibitions and Missions (CITEM) and the Federation of Handmade Paper Makers and Converters (FEHPA).

"Since it was our first time to join a fair, we had no idea what to do," recalls Gigi. "But Tony, being the artistic person that he is, didn’t want to merely place our paper on a table because people won’t see just how beautiful they were. So he asked our workers from Bicol to make kites in all shapes and sizes, covered them with handmade paper, and hung them all over our booth."

Needless to say, the kites were noticed and GSG received many orders for their handmade paper. The initial success of this undertaking prompted them to join the Premiere Paperworld Fair in Frankfurt, Germany in 1993. Their goal: to find out if paper as paper–without the added value of being converted into products–could sell by itself.

"Although we were quite apprehensive, we all said Go! Fight! We were all risk-takers, and Pops wasn’t the kind who would just sit around and wait for things to happen. He’s the one who pushed and persuaded us to join," says Gigi.

To say that the company was a big hit in the fair is an understatement. "We had buyers queuing up for hours throughout the five-day trade show. Akala ko madaldal na ako, pero sumuko ako talaga sa pakikipag-usap sa kanila. Sasabihin ko na sanang huwag na silang bumili kasi pagod na ako at gusto ko nang magpahinga," she shares with a hearty laugh.

Although Gigi refuses to disclose the exact figure, the sales generated at the Premiere fair proved one thing: Philippine handmade paper is a highly marketable product in itself, and sparked the beginning of GSG Industrial Corporation’s flourishing export business.

Following the success of their first international fair participation, GSG joined the Manila F.A.M.E. International (also organized by CITEM) later that year. This started a whirlwind of activities for the company and more than a decade of relationship with foreign buyers whom Gigi now considers her friends. "There are times when buyers would visit me here non-stop. The guards at the gate must think that I am having illicit love affairs with all of them," she bursts out laughing.

Our interview is interrupted by a phone call from brother Tony who asks if his driver can pick up the food he requested her to prepare. Gigi loves to cook, a hilig she says she got from her late mother.

Over a scrumptious dinner of pesto pasta and baked chicken, Gigi recounts the time when she wanted to develop other products for GSG. "I wanted to experiment and showcase the versatility of paper by weaving them. Besides, I was getting bored and wanted to do other things."

Typical of an artist who becomes restless when things get monotonous, Gigi had the strong desire to further challenge her creativity. With her father’s approval, she started Flora Weaves in 2003 to expand the use of paper.

Gigi explains that Flora Weaves is not entirely a new company, but a subsidiary of GSG. "One of the reasons I set it up was because I wanted to bring in more income for GSG since for every meter Flora Weaves requires for its woven paper, five meters of handmade paper are purchased from GSG," she says.

"Using handmade paper for weaving is not easy. We had to carefully estimate how much paper we would use for a certain length of woven material because it is very expensive. In one of our first orders, we were only supposed to use 1,000 meters, but ended up consuming double that number, so super lugi talaga," she relates. However, this did not stop her from trying again until she and her workers got it down to an exact science.

Utilizing the traditional Bicolano craft of hand looming, Gigi used abaca as warp and a variety of natural fibers as weft, and started doing tabletop and home accessories like vases, votives, window blinds, placemats, table runners, and cushions. The new products (which are still marketed under the family corporation) were well received by buyers, and currently make up about 50 percent of GSG’s income. "And I’m proud of that."

What she is most proud of, however, is the fact that her new venture created new jobs, "which is more important than anything else," she says.

This new venture took up more of Gigi’s time, and she was juggling her responsibilities as creative and marketing director of GSG and manager of Flora Weaves. But this didn’t stop her from exploring other creative pursuits. In 2003, she signed up for the Joy of Writing course of STAR columnist Barbara Gonzalez.

"I’ve always enjoyed writing, and did contribute some articles to a few magazines in the past, but I wanted to learn new techniques that would help me improve my skills." Gigi so enjoyed the class she also joined Ms. Gonzalez’s advance course.

Surprisingly, this creative writing course also helped her win the Katha Award for the Best Booth Design at the October 2004 edition of Manila F.A.M.E. "I was pressured to design a product collection for Japan and Germany at that time, but my mind was set on finishing a composition about rain for my writing class. It was drizzling that time and it was amazing how the orange sky blended perfectly with the colors of the rainbow. I started scribbling, and before I knew it, I had a design for my booth, inspired by rain."

Aside from being recognized for its exceptional booth, GSG has also received numerous other Katha awards in past fairs, including a special "Ecology Citation" for its use of highly renewable materials and environment-friendly processes.

In 1996, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources gave GSG an Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC) for its strict adherence to the guidelines and regulations set by the agency in proper waste management.

In 1997, GSG was the recipient of the Countryside Developer of the Year award of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the coveted Golden Shell Award for Design Excellence in 1998, and the G-Mark Seal of Distinction or the Good Design Award given by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (jidpo) in June of this year for its paper twine balls.

The G-Mark is a comprehensive design evaluation system introduced by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the ASEAN-Japan Centre (ASEAN Promotion Centre on Trade, Investment, and Tourism). The award serves as Japan’s seal of excellence, which is synonymous with high quality and outstanding style.

With all of her brothers busy with their respective businesses, and her father enjoying his retirement, Gigi is left with the challenging task of setting the directions for GSG and Flora Weaves. "But I still get a lot of help from them, of course," she is quick to add.

Having been gifted with extraordinary talent, who knows what brilliant ideas she will come up with next? "I want to design bags using handmade paper," she says, with an excited twinkle in her eyes. But that would be another story altogether.