This store in Cebu makes #Pride jackets handwoven from local fabric

Balik Batik is a store based in Liloan, Cebu that has just released a line of handwoven jackets to celebrate Pride month. What more, proceeds from the Pride line will be donated to the Home of the Golden Gays, a non-profit that provides support for elderly members of the LGBTQ+ community.

"There is so much diversity in our Filipino fabrics, as we have different communities and groups with beautiful styles, patterns and designs," said Balik Batik's proprietor Veronica Baguio in a GMA News interview.

Baguio said that Kantarines, a type of indigenous textile from Abra, was chosen for the jacket's fabric because of its distinct stripes of various width and colors.

"The idea to do the coverups sprouted from knowing that our Filipino fabrics have so many designs, and that there is a fabric that can bring the PRIDE colors alive," Baguio said about Kantarines.

Back to basics

Started only March of this year, Balik Batik has carved out a steady following among netizens for pieces that feature handwoven Filipino fabrics, including Langkit and Balud from the Maranaos in Marawi, Hablon de Argao of Cebu, Ramit by the Mangyan tribe in Mindoro, and Tennun by the Yakan tribe of Basilan.

Born and raised in Cebu, Baguio shares that she learned about local fabrics during her time in college, as a student of AB Psychology in Ateneo de Manila. She always wanted to purchase pieces from brands, but they were always out of her student budget.

"That was understandable since these fabrics are handwoven, and they take a lot of effort and time," she said.

It wasn't until early this year when she was already Assistant Principal in Britech College that she was inspired to start Balik Batik. In one of her many trips during work, she stumbled upon affordable batik blazers and other "very Filipino" clothing items.

"So like any other millennial, I tweeted about it to ask friends if they were interested. The tweet went viral, and I saw that many young Filipinos want to wear local items and local fabrics," Baguio shared. "I saw an opportunity to be able to share modern clothing pieces that feature traditional fabric."

Fabrics as colorful as life

For Baguio, Balik Batik's Pride line this June will not only give more color to local heritage, but will also brighten up the days of some elderly members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Kantarines jacket is available in two styles — full rainbow and accented dark blue — and are from P2500-P3000 each. Proceeds will be donated to the Home of the Golden Gays, a non-profit in Manila that seeks to take care of LGTBTQ+ lolas, many of whom have no families anymore to look after them.

Buyers of the Kantarines jackets would be pleased to know that at the end of it all, they are supporting the livelihood of community partners in Abra, according to Mam Natividad Quiday, who is Balik Batik's partner weaver from Leila’s Loomweaving in Bubulala, La Paz, Abra.

“Ang paghahabi, ito po ang hanap buhay namin, lalo na ang mga kababaihan, dito namin nakukuha ang mga kailangan araw raw," Quiday shared. — LA, GMA News

Interested parties may visit Balik Batik’s Facebook page at facebook.com/balikbatik or shoot them an email at balikbatik@gmail.com.