FASHION design graduate Carmaela Alcantara knew there is more than just agricultural products to export from the island of Mindanao.
While she took her practicum in the buying store of a US-based department store in Legaspi, she was constantly asked what products can be exported from Davao.
"Because they are sourcing mostly from the Pampanga area and also in Cebu. But they don’t buy anything from Davao," Alcantara, Crystal Seas founder, said.
"When we talk about Davao exports, the first thing that comes to mind are agricultural products like bananas, coconuts," she continued.
After her studies in Manila, she returned to Davao City with those questions stuck with her.
"When I came back home, it stayed with me. I couldn’t accept that I am from here and there is nothing that we can sell in department stores abroad," Alcantara, who was exposed in the retail industry, said.
Using her instinct in fashion design and the hunger to discover what other things her hometown can offer, she was led to make the most out of Mindanao's culture.
"Surely, we have a lot of talents, we have a lot of artistry found in here. So when I came here, my first job, I became a design consultant for other companies," she said.
Only until she was destined to different provinces where she found what she was looking for, seeing more export potential products beyond fashion.
She was able to meet weavers and farmers who ignite rattan and hardwood-a highly priced product in Cebu and Pampanga to cook food, for example.
"Imagine the farmers and the indigenous peoples just burn it. Panggatong lang nila yung rattan. Also the hardwood, they use it as panggatong.(They just use rattan and hardwood as firewood)," she said.
"The market opportunity for export was there, my background as a product designer was there, the source of all this beautiful things are here with us, so those things challenged me to connect everything together," she said.
It led her and her mom to establish Crystal Seas, an enterprise selling bags and accessories made out of indigenous weaves and materials and is flourishing in the local and international stages for 13 years now.
"So my mom and I started to train a group of out-of-school-youth and women. At first, one of our clear objective was to share the opportunity of giving them better livelihood options because when I met women from the community, their first option of livelihood is to become domestic helpers," she said.
"And coming from our personal background, we want to share that we can train a skill that people can earn from and that you don’t need to leave your family behind anymore,"she added.
Their community grew and the opportunities they offered were extended to more people.
"Right now, I think, we are actively involved in more than 10 communities from Region 12 (Soccsksargen) and Region 11 (Davao Region). And just a few days ago, I have been to Davao Occidental, Davao del Sur, and there’s an invitation. We are developing something for the women in Marawi as well," she said.
Crystal Seas bags and accessories been displayed both in the local and international stores and exhibitions including Ginza District in Tokyo, Malaysia, New York, Paris, and Spain.
"We do a lot of market research. We spend a lot bringing these products outside of Mindanao. Kahit sa Manila lang. But we always look for partners who can bring our products in different countries.
I think that is where that makes the business sustainable," said Alcantara.
In marketing their products, Alcantara said they wanted their customers feel genuinely attracted to its designs.
The people behind the products-the weavers and the artisans-are revealed after for some noble reasons.
"We want to entice the buyers first with the design. Design muna because we don’t want them naman to buy out of pity. We want to show the integrity of the people that are doing this products," she said.
Alcantara was one of the guest panelists during Esquire Philippines’ bespoke event “Lessons on Entrepreneurship from Business Movers” at Dusit D2 Hotel, Lanang, Davao City on October 26.
The event aims to network professionals, entrepreneurs, small and medium enterprise owners, startup founders, and business leaders as well as learn from experienced entrepreneurs in the industry.