Likhang Habi fair spotlights younger Filipino weavers

The 16th Likhang Habi Market Fair showcased Filipino handwoven products and highlighted younger artisans working to revive traditional weaving. Rappler’s account describes the fair as a gathering where younger participants presented their connection to the craft, alongside vendors and other people involved in weaving.

BusinessMirror’s headline characterized the event as carrying stories of hope from Filipino artisans and advocates. Algene Fernandez, a 21-year-old weaver, told Rappler that she is the fourth generation in her family to work in the industry.

Her account places a younger artisan within a family tradition, while the fair’s broader focus included young people helping sustain Filipino weaving practices. Fernandez said, “Ako po, pang-apat na generation na ako sa family namin in this industry,” which she translated as saying she was her family’s fourth generation in the industry.

Rambie Lim, a founding member of HABI and a vendor representing the Rurungan Collective, described the circumstances when HABI began. “When HABI started, weaving in the Philippines was dying,” Lim said. His remark presents the fair’s work in the context of concern about the continuity of weaving, while the article also records the presence of younger artisans at the event.

The account also describes how customers encounter the work behind woven goods. Adelaida said that customers come to realize “how hard it is to do” after seeing the craft. Her comment points to the labor involved in weaving, rather than treating the finished products as separate from the process used to make them.

HABI president Mia Villanueva spoke about weaving’s cultural meaning, saying it is part of culture and expresses history. Her description adds a historical and cultural dimension to the craft presented at the fair. Rappler’s account connects that perspective with the younger artisans’ efforts to revive traditional Filipino weaving.

Likhang Habi has also recently launched the Lourdes Montinola Piña Weaving Competition for weavers under 30, according to Rappler. The competition is an additional initiative alongside the market fair, and its stated age limit identifies young weavers as its participants. The account does not provide further details about the competition’s schedule or format.