Traditional Filipino textiles are moving beyond fashion as architecture and furniture studio La Likha weaves locally produced fabrics and Philippine-made nonwoven materials into contemporary furniture pieces, demonstrating how indigenous craftsmanship can underpin sustainable design.

Founded in March as the furniture design arm of Licup Architects, La Likha aims to fuse architecture, functionality, and Filipino cultural heritage through locally sourced materials, founder and architect Zion Enrico R. Licup said in an interview with BusinessWorld.

"We wanted to create contemporary furniture using Filipino textiles," Mr. Licup said, noting that his fascination with traditional fabrics such as Yakan weaving — a centuries-old craft from the Yakan people of Basilan, known for intricate geometric patterns and natural-dye techniques — helped spark the venture.

The concept originated from an office project in Marikina City, where the firm began exploring ways to embed Filipino textiles into furniture. The studio subsequently partnered with the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), the government's lead agency for textile research and development, merging handwoven fabrics from local weaving communities with the institute's nonwoven banana fiber.

In La Likha's designs, banana fiber functions as the furniture's backing layer, while traditional woven textiles serve as the visible upholstery.

Mr. Licup said the collaboration reinforces the firm's broader sustainability commitments, pointing out that the construction sector is a major contributor to global carbon emissions. The use of plant-based fibers like banana — an abundant agricultural byproduct in the Philippines, one of the world's largest banana producers — reflects a growing interest across the design and construction industries in replacing synthetic materials with renewable, locally sourced alternatives.

"We want our textiles to come from local materials that are biodegradable. Instead of relying on conventional materials that take many years to decompose, banana fiber has the potential to break down naturally," he said.

Beyond its environmental advantages, banana fiber offers greater flexibility than conventional foam, making it well-suited for curved furniture forms. However, due to its coarse texture, the material is presently restricted to an interior layer rather than an exposed seating surface.

"That's why we only use it as backing," he said, adding that he hopes future innovations will refine the material's smoothness and open the door to broader applications.

La Likha's furniture development process begins with form-finding and ergonomic studies, after which the studio works directly with weaving communities — including artisans in Basilan — to obtain permission to incorporate their textiles into its collections.

Manufacturing takes place in Pampanga, a province long recognized as one of the Philippines' key furniture-producing hubs, using locally sourced wood, steel, upholstery, and stitching materials, an approach the company says reflects its commitment to reducing the environmental footprint associated with imported goods.

One production challenge, Mr. Licup noted, was preventing the banana fibers from separating during manufacturing. The team resolved this by bonding the fibers to woven textiles prior to fabrication, yielding a more stable composite material for furniture construction.

He added that nonwoven textiles could eventually find applications beyond furniture, including acoustic panels, room partitions, lighting installations, and other interior design elements.

"So far, we've made around 50 to 60 chairs and sofas," he said, noting that La Likha currently offers three furniture designs available for purchase through its online platforms.

Mr. Licup credited DOST-PTRI's research and development work for introducing designers to locally developed alternatives to conventional materials.

"If we hadn't discovered what PTRI was doing, we would have continued using conventional foam," he said. "It's good that the research is becoming applicable to the furniture design industry."

La Likha plans to exhibit its products at Artifino later this month and is aiming to participate in Manila FAME, the country's flagship design and lifestyle trade show organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), later this year.

The architect also urged stronger government backing for local designers through expanded exhibition opportunities, research initiatives, and seed funding programs.

"Exhibitions are very expensive for small businesses," he said. "Government support through partnerships, linkages, and funding programs would help local furniture designers grow."

Filipino textiles, he added, should be recognized not merely as heritage symbols or wearable fabrics, but as functional materials capable of driving innovation across furniture and interior design. — Kaizzer Angela Marie V. Manuba

Source: BusinessWorld