Positive developments in the country's textile industry, despite the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic will be highlighted with the celebration of the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Month led by the Philippine Textile Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PTRI).
With the theme “Fashioning Philippine Textiles in the Now Normal and in the Year of the Creative Economy”, DOST-PTRI said that Filipino ingenuity, creativity and passion for creating colorful and uniquely designed fashion ensembles will once again take center stage until January 31, 2021.
The celebration also aims to raise awareness on the use of natural fibers like pineapple, banana, abaca, and the Philippines silk for textile and allied products. In the process, this initiative will bring about the revival and upgrading of the local textile and garment industries that will eventually contribute to the creation of livelihood in the agricultural and industrial sectors.
In line with the celebration, DOST-PTRI will be having a two-day event of the first-ever virtual conduct of the annual Textiles Empowering Lives Anew (TELA) Stakeholders' Conference in line with the celebration of the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Month and the 54th Founding Anniversary of the Institute on January 30.
DOST-PTRI’s TELA campaign has been the brand of DOST-PTRI’s initiatives to boost the global competitiveness of Philippine textile and allied industries.
One of the activities lined up for the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Month is the annual TELA Stakeholder’s conference to be held on Janury 27. On January 28, there are other activities lined up, namely: virtual presser on Philippine Tropical Fabrics, launching of the PTRI Textile Hub and Gallery, and the launching of the Philippine Textiles e-portal.
Presidential Proclamation 313 declared the month of January every year as the Philippine Tropical Fabrics (PTF) month to promote Filipino textile products that are indigenous to the Philippines, such as the use of locally-developed technologies and local resources that can provide livelihood opportunities particularly for those in the rural areas and promote Filipino products in the global market.
Republic Act (RA) No. 9242 or the “Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law of 2004” defines tropical fabrics as those containing natural fibers produced, spun, woven, or knitted and are produced in the Philippines.