Founded by long time friends Marga and Billie, Beyond Borders Philippines specializes in handwoven throws, made using ancient wooden looms with a method called abel weaving.
Meaning “to be woven” in the Ilocano dialect, abel weaving is a labour and time-intensive technique. Depending on the complexity of a piece, it can take a weaver three weeks to set up a loom and even three months to weave a blanket!
The result is a beautiful, vibrant, and handwoven piece that will serve you at the beach or in the home. The lightweight and versatile fabric can be used as a beach or picnic blanket, table cover, napkins, décor, or travel throws. No matter how you use them, each piece carries the spirit and story of the Philippines wherever they go.
SOCIAL IMPACT
Marga and Billie founded Beyond Borders PH after a trip to the Ilocos region of the Philippines, a place renowned for its quality inabel products. However, the two friends were alarmed when they discovered only a handful of weavers remained. The craft was dying.
Abel weaving is passed down through generations of artisans through oral tradition – there’s no school to learn this technique. Unfortunately, due to low market access, weavers have to travel miles to sell their products to middlemen and tourists who often pay them far below fair market value. As a result, younger generations are abandoning the craft in search of more lucrative opportunities.
By creating contemporary products steeped in tradition, Beyond Borders PH aims to preserve Abel weaving, empower generations of weavers, and share the beauty of Filipino craftsmanship with the world.
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