Project Katipuneras, established in November 2022, is on a mission to add a unique substance to style. Together with artisans, all of them mothers, they have created fashion accessories, bags, jewelry pieces, and home decor from soda can pull tabs, an item that is discarded before the product is consumed.

According to Project Katipuneras’ Smarla Pernato, the idea behind the brand started with five friends who met as volunteers in a political campaign. As their friendship blossomed, they decided to put up a social enterprise to help mothers and raise funds for their initiatives.

“We didn't want to sell just any product, “Smarla said to Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “We wanted to sell products that were made by a group of nanays (mothers) so that we can help on two fronts: support the livelihood of nanays as well as donate to our chosen NGO.”

It takes a long process to transform the pull tabs into something chic. The discarded materials are donated by a soda company, bars, and restaurants, which are then cleaned, sanded, and polished to be ready for production. Once they have a lot of soda can tabs, the artisans crochet, sew, and weave them together based on a design. It takes less than a day for the artisans to make a pair of earrings and a necklace. But for more complex designs such as bags, it takes them two to three days to finish a piece.

“We are not directly involved in the production of these upcycled bags,” Smarla explained. “We helped design some of the items (Naomi bag, Leonor bag, and coasters). But most items were already part of the catalog of our partner nanays.”

“We primarily work with one group of artisans from Metro Manila,” she said. “They handle the entire process of producing these products, from preparing the tabs and sewing the tabs together, to sourcing and adding the necessary hardware (e.g., clasp enclosure, chain strap, and earrings hook).”
According to Project Katipunera, an average person drinks about 36 gallons of soda per year. This means that over 1,267 pull tabs are added to the solid waste problem. By upcycling these aluminum materials, Project Katipuneras not only helps the artists find a sustainable means of income but also aids in raising awareness about the impact of shoppers' choices on the environment.

“The fashion industry generates a lot of waste. Project Katipuneras wants to create a more sustainable alternative by using upcycled materials.” Smarla said. “By doing so, we can demonstrate that our local women artisans can create products that reduce waste but are also stylish and functional. The products also demonstrate our commitment to empowering communities by giving them a fair wage for their specialized skills and creativity.”