HOUSE of Musa brought social enterprise to the Kadayawan runway August 8, showcasing fashion made from Musa fabric, a banana-fiber textile handwoven by beneficiaries of the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Davao del Norte.
The Davao del Norte-based enterprise is among the local brands featured in Kultura’s Kadayawan Crawl, which runs Aug. 8-18 at the Main Mall Atrium of SM City Davao.
The showcase brings Filipino food, fashion, home decor, pasalubong and other locally made products together as part of Davao City’s annual cultural festival.
For House of Musa, the spotlight is on more than the finished garments. Its Musa fabric gives banana fiber a new purpose while creating livelihood opportunities for CIW beneficiaries who handweave the material.
The social enterprise transforms the handwoven textile into contemporary fashion pieces, connecting local agriculture, traditional craftsmanship and sustainable design with a market for Filipino-made products.
Its participation also gives consumers a chance to see the people and process behind the products — from banana fiber to handwoven fabric and, ultimately, wearable pieces.
The Department of Trade and Industry Davao del Norte highlighted House of Musa’s participation as an example of how events such as the Kadayawan Crawl can help local micro, small and medium enterprises showcase their products, tell their stories and connect with customers.
The Kultura event brings its pub crawl-inspired concept from Metro Manila to Davao, inviting visitors to explore different booths, sample regional delicacies and discover locally made products.
Fashion offerings include traditional Barong Tagalog, handwoven resortwear, contemporary Filipiniana pieces, pearl jewelry and other locally crafted items.
The food selection features local snacks, native treats and beverages, including desserts from AURO Chocolate and products from Destileria Limtuaco, the country’s oldest existing distillery.
Malagos Chocolate, a Davao-born brand, is also featured, highlighting how sustainably grown local cacao becomes tree-to-bar chocolate.
Ilathala Performing Arts opened the Aug. 8 festivities with traditional Mindanao dances accompanied by live percussion and native instruments. Visitors can also use a Filipino-themed photobooth daily and have photos printed on demand.
Kadayawan Festival, celebrated every August, honors Davao’s 11 Indigenous tribes and their traditions through music, dance and artistry. It also celebrates the region’s agricultural abundance and spirit of thanksgiving.
Against that backdrop, House of Musa’s showcase adds another dimension to the celebration: turning a local agricultural resource into fashion while creating opportunities for women through craftsmanship and enterprise. MLSA WITH PR
