Japan’s Musashino Art University partners with Sorsogon artisans for Manila FAME April 2017

Professors and students from Japan’s prestigious Musashino Art University (MAU) worked closely with several artisans from Sorsogon, a province in the Bicol region, to manufacture home furnishings and fashion accessories made from the province’s natural materials, such as coconut, karagomoy (a palm grass resembling a pineapple plant), and pili shells, under the initiative of Makiko Deguchi from the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Sorsogon.

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The project introduces new design perspective and skills to the region’s handicraft producers to help strengthen the development of export-ready products across the province, as well as encourage students from Bicol University to become local designers.
“It’s more of the way thinking, rather than skills with regards to the materials used. We want to impart to them how the beauty of the material itself is very important,” said MAU professor of interior design, Shinichi Ito.

The “Kalikasan Sorsogon” brand includes home furnishings and fashion accessories and will be launched at the 65th edition of Manila FAME, the Philippines’ premier lifestyle and design event, on April 21 -23, 2017 at the World Trade Center, Metro Manila. Manila FAME is organized by the Center of International Trade Expositions and Missions, the export promotions of DTI.

“Japan and Philippines have always had a mutually beneficial relationship and this project is a testament to that. These artisans were given an opportunity to enhance their skills and receive new business insights that will no doubt help them to compete in the industry,” said CITEM Executive Director, Clayton Tugonon. “We’re pleased that they chose Manila FAME to launch their brand as it is a noble effort in line with the event’s goals.”

“The projects aims to contribute to the income generation of Sorsogon’s local handicraft people and innovate the province’s craft for the international market. The artisans we worked with have no experience in exports yet so this will be another challenge for them.” Said Ito.

This is an edited press release.