Beyond Shopping: The 15th Likhang HABI Market Fair weaves together Culture, Craft, and Community

In its 15th year of meaningful encounters, the Likhang Habi Market Fair is back with a bigger and bolder offering. The flagship project of HABI: The Philippine Textile Council is slated for October 10 to 12, 2025, will feature about a hundred weavers, weaving communities, artisans and designers from all over the country, creating a unique shopping experience that is as diverse as it is consequential. The fair is among the most-awaited events in the buyers’ calendar especially for those who appreciate artisanal products with cultural significance. 

“The Likhang Habi Market Fair is that one weekend each year when the weaving communities bring out the best products they have created using the latest technique they have developed – methods that will become part of our weaving culture and history, and our identity as a nation,” said HABI president Mia Villanueva.

The fair’s continued success in over a decade has strengthened what was once a dying industry and is now enjoying a level of popularity never seen before. Proof of that is the big move to the Space at One Ayala (formerly the site of Hotel Intercontinental), a sprawling area with multiple function rooms that will enable the Likhang Habi Market Fair to comfortably accommodate more vendors and guests. Attached to the MRT, the Ayala bus terminal, and the posh malls of the shopping district, and with ample parking at the basement, it is easily accessible via different modes of transportation as well.

Kwentong Kultura: The HABI Lectures

With a larger area, the HABI Council will be offering a variety of activities apart from the market itself. This year, guests will have the opportunity to hear from the members of the weaving industry – from weavers to designers – in a series of talks and panel discussions dubbed as Kwentong Kultura: The HABI Lectures. 

In The Realm of Textiles: Young Voices Advocating Heritage in Fashion opens Day 1 and will feature Namnama Clothing’s Stephanie Diputado and Joy Geocado; Steffi Cua from Idyllic Summer; and Catherine Diquit from Likhang Maragondon. Moderating the discussion is writer, editor, stylist and entrepreneur Jane Kingsu Cheng. 

Day 2 continues with In The Realm of Textile: The Journey of the Entrepreneur in the Handwoven Textile Industry which includes Filip + Inna’s Len Cabili, Aklan Piña Artisans Association Chairman Carlo R. Eliserio, and celebrated knitwear designer Lulu Tan-Gan. Moderating the discussion is broadcaster and inabel textile advocate Niña Corpuz. 

Closing the discussions on Day 3 is In The Realm of Textiles: Application of Handwoven Textiles Outside of Fashion with ZACARIAS1925 creative director Rita Nazareno, ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA) president Edric Ong, and lifestyle consultant Tania Fricke. HABI advocate and Museo Pambata president Wilma Huang will be moderating the discussion. 

There will be a P200 fee for the lectures. Interested guests can register through this link: https://forms.gle/DypVoUT4AHkzx8tc6 

Guests will also be treated to cultural presentations, weaving demonstrations and other workshops, all of which would serve to reinforce the HABI Council’s mission to “preserve, promote, and enhance Philippine textiles through education, communication, and research.”

Celebrating Craftsmanship through Competitions

The future of the weaving industry lies in the ability of the artisans to innovate. This is at the core of the two competitions spearheaded by the HABI Council to elevate and celebrate craftsmanship. 

Thus, entries to the 8th Lourdes Montinola Piña Weaving Competition and the 4th Eloisa Hizon Gomez Abaca Weaving Competition will be on display for the public to enjoy and draw inspiration from. 

The family of Chair Emeritus of the Far Eastern University (FEU) and piña advocate Dra. Lourdes Montinola will be attending the awarding ceremony for the Piña competition which will be held on Saturday, October 11. For the Abaca competition, the heirs of Eloisa Hizon Gomez will be in attendance to award the winning entries including her son Dom Martin (formerly fashion designer Gang Gomez) on Sunday, October 12.

A feast in more ways than one

Within the fair, visitors can look forward to an expanded food and lifestyle section. The new space will showcase culinary artisans, regional delicacies, and featured restaurants, with areas for lounging and dining—making this year’s fair a true feast for the senses. 

At the helm of this area is Chef Sau Del Rosario, a pioneering figure in Philippine gastronomy recognized for his dedication to promoting Kapampangan heritage through contemporary culinary expression. With decades of expertise, he has established several acclaimed local establishments, including 25 Seeds, Café Fleur, Joop Joop, and Sawsaw. 

He was motivated to collaborate with HABI due to "...our shared passion, vision, and commitment to championing Filipino artists and craftsmanship." Chef Sau’s culinary space will showcase creations from Cafe Fleur. which encapsulates his personal narrative, from his upbringing to the present, expressing his profound appreciation for culinary heritage through interpreted creations. 

A fair like no other

Beyond a marketplace to buy and sell goods, the Likhang Habi Market Fair prides itself in creating meaningful encounters between the vendors and buyers, whether the latter may be purchasing for personal use or for commercial purposes. The goal is for both parties to establish a relationship, share ideas, and benefit from the exchange. 

“The vendors get a lot out of being there and meeting their customers,” said HABI President Emeritus Adelaida Lim. “They get to see what the buyers are interested in and that dialogue helps them level up to what the market wants.”

HABI Secretary Rambie Lim explained that having the weavers themselves present their creations is the best way to educate the end-user on how to use their weaves.

“All traditional textiles have meaning; have a purpose,” she stressed. This direct communication ensures that the products are treated appropriately, and that the cultures of the communities are honored accordingly.

Protecting the weave at its source

No indigenous textile would exist, however, without the environment that produces its various components. From the cotton for the threads to the herbs and flowers for the dyes, to ensure the weaving industry flourishes is to protect nature that provides these elements. 

One of the HABI Council’s most important partnerships is with the Mahalina Foundation which was co-founded by Mercedes Zobel and Dr. Patricia Araneta. Apart from a shared interest in Philippine textile arts, Mahalina also shared in HABI’s cotton advocacy and in a project to propagate Philippine cotton for the promotion of Philippine loom weaving.

“Our first initiative with HABI was the presentation of weaves from the weaving community in Ibaan, Batangas two years or so ago,” shared Dr. Araneta. “These were made with HABI’s  Philippine cotton and dyed with natural plant dyes collected by the weavers from their surroundings. It was also an exercise in enterprise development for the Ibaan weavers.”

Subsequently, Mahalina Foundation went on to grow and propagate cotton in communities in Calatagan – a project that came with its own set of challenges. Initially, they were unsure if they would be able to grow the Philippine cotton seeds from HABI.

“We were told that the soil and climate in Calatagan would not be suitable for cotton growing,” Dr. Araneta continued. “Since one of our programs is in the Healing and Regenerative Arts, we were practicing soil regeneration. We not only improved soil quality, we also sourced cotton seeds from the Tagabawa Bagobo in Bitaug, Bandalan, Davao del Sur and also from the Serukadang Manuvu in Don Carlos, Bukidnon. The cotton we planted from these grows profusely and Mahalina is moving ahead to develop community-based spinning and weaving projects with members of the ten baranggays it works with in Calatagan.”

While the Likhang Habi Market Fair presents a wonderful opportunity for people to wear beautifully crafted weaves and introduce to the world our colorful identity, this comes at the end of a long process that begins with caring for nature, protecting the local culture, encouraging innovation, and providing opportunities for fair trade. Indeed, every textile is our history made tangible by the threads of stories woven to become the fabric of our culture. And by saving it, we protect our identity and our ability to continue weaving the stories of our future.

The 15th Likhang Habi Market Fair is slated October 10-12, 2025, Level 5, SPACE at One Ayala in Makati City. 

The annual event is made possible with the support of SM Investments, PAGCOR, Okada Manila, AY Foundation, Marubeni, 7-Eleven, SGV Foundation, Far Eastern University, STI Education System, and Space at One Ayala, 

For more information, visit the HABI: The Philippine Textile Council website at www.habiphilippinetextilecouncil.com 

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