1.

ABACA

Abacá is a species of banana native to the Philippines, grown as a commercial crop in the Philippines.
The plant, also known as Manila hemp, has great economic importance, being harvested for its fiber,
also called Manila hemp, extracted from the leaf-stems.
Abaca fibre is valued for its exceptional strength, flexibility, buoyancy, and resistance to damage in salt
water. These qualities make the fibre exceptionally suitable for marine cordage. Abaca is chiefly
employed for ships’ ropes, hawsers, and cables and for fishing lines, hoisting and power-transmission
ropes, well-drilling cables, and fishing nets. Some abaca is used in carpets, table mats, and paper. The
plant’s inner fibres can be used without spinning to manufacture lightweight, strong fabrics, mainly used
locally for garments, hats, and shoes.

2. BURI

Buri is a slow-growing palm specie that has a very large fan-shaped leaves which are circular in outline.
The inner half part is entire while the outer part is divided into narrow segments appearing like finger
spread apart. Upon reaching the palm's maturity, invariably 25-40 years, the palm gradually drops its
leaves and develops at the top of its trunk an enormous terminal shoot, looking like a pyramid of
greenish-white flowers.
The Buntal fiber is extracted from the petioles of the buri palm by means of hand pulling or retting. It is
most commonly used for hat making as well as for other utility and fibercraft items, accessories, floor or
whisk brooms and for specialty paper.

Other fibercraft usage includes bags, placemats, attache cases, penholders, wallpapers and desk
organizers. The home furnishings industry uses buntal for window blinds, screen dividers, decorative
pillows, table accessories and other home lifestyle accessories.

4. NITO
Nito vine (Lygodium circinatum) is a plant belonging to the fern family that grows abundantly in the
hinterlands of Mindanao in Southern Philippines. It is a vine growing as a secondary forest cover clinging
to trees and rocks. ... The nito vine must be gathered first then exposed to sunlight to dry.
5. RATTAN
6. TIKIW

7. TIKOG

The Philippine Indigenous Plant Materials

1. Abaca- belonging to Banana family, strongest among natural fiber. The fiber has a natural high luster
with colors ranging from pure white to ivory and dark brown. The products are Slippers, ropes, twine,
hammock, frame, display jar, jars, Chelsea occasional chair

2. Bakbak- the outermost covering or leaf sheath of the abaca stalk is now highly in demand in the
furniture Industry. The thick strong brown fiber is an excellent raw materials used to export furniture
Industry. The furniture products from Bakbak give a distinctive and exotic look. It is a flat thick durable
sheath as twine or braided. The products are Mat, Bangkuay Bin, boxes, bin, display, jar, Cecilia dining
table, and arm chair.

3. Bamboo- is the versatile and highly reliable raw materials, either in strips, split or whole timber itself.
The products are Frames, fashion bag, teen bag, strip daises, wall decor.

4. Buntal- cylindrically shaped fibers. The supple ivory white strands are quite durable, pliable, and have
good dyeing qualities. The products are High end fashion, bags, shoes, attache cases, desk accessories
like pen holder, picture frames, file trays, cigarette cases, wallets, place mats, braide, lampshades,
window blinds.

5. Buri- extracted from the matured leaves of the buri palm. The fiber is durable and resistant to
moisture. The products are Place mats, hats, bags, baskets, and other woven products, Also for
packaging and baling purposes. It was incorporated with other materials to form novelty items,
magazine rack, compact disk, wall decors, food trays, jewelry box, square box, magazine rack,
memorabilia boxes, perfume tray, tray, and placemats.

6. Coir- is the fibrous material surrounding the fruit of the coconut tree through wet or dry processes
twines, indoor or outdoor fiber carpets, wall covering, doormat, trellises, and geo textiles. The products
are Coco coir Table lamp, lampshade and pillows.
7. Nito- this fiber plant thrive wall in both virgin and logged over forest and in bush and open areas. It is
a solid material fiber that is covered with a protective bark, a tough outer layer keeping moisture, heat
and humidity. The products are Nito and rattan bread tray, lampshade and decorative jar.

8. Pandan- Popular for the Filipinos, because the traditional sleeping mat was hand woven from Pandan.
These are widely distributed throughout the archipelago with some species with some species growing
along sandy beaches and others in virgin forests. The products are Sleeping mat, baskets, bayong,
fashionable bags, floor mats, hats, different functional trays, bins, and other novelty item like frame
checkered pattern, CD Cabinet, leaf shaped boxes, shoe tray, clothes hamper.

9. Raffia- a fiber extracted from unopened buri leaf in 3 stages 1. stripping the outer leaf sheath 2.
striping the 2nd leaf sheath 3. striping into different sizes. It is loom woven into fabrics or used as wall
coverings, upholstery material, folding doors and window hangings. The products are hats, placemats,
folder, shoes, slippers, boxes, portfolio and ladies bags, placemats, circular, boxes, Document boxes.

10. Rattan- Versatile raw materials for furniture and handicrafts. The products are Baskets, picture
frames, furniture and other novelty items, Zoya lounge chair, Valencia queen size bed, Rest divan.

11. Rattan wicker- Ratan poles can be split, forming a different diameter called wicker. It usually grows
at low to medium elevations in virgin and second growth forests but never in the open field. Basket,
picture frames, hampers and other novelty items. The products are tote bag, rectangular basket, fancy
wicker baskets, magazine holder, sphere jar and center table.

12. Tikiw- A wild but useful variety of seagrass family. The products are Container baskets, hampers with
lids, bags, rugs, carpets, placemats, jar, and other decorative items. Tikiw bag with leather, and coco
button- twine twisted tikiw, floor rug, bags, waste bin, sea grass sofa.

13. Tikog- belongs to sea grasses. It is also combined with other indigenous fibers to form different
products like bags, floor decorative mats, hampers, newspaper racks, and holder, table mat, waste bin,
tower candle holder, wall décor.

14. Ugpay- a newly discovered indigenous raw materials. It is extracted for the dark brown twine of a
forest vine. These hanging vines are discovered by the Aetas. Fiber Extraction. The vines are lightly
pounded to reveal the inner fibers. The fibers is the form of ribbon, are carefully peeled from the outer
covering of the vines. Ugpay Fibers is a white fresh fibers of Ugpay are revealed after peeling the bark.

Direct Dependents include farmers, classifiers or sorters, manufacturers, traders, exporters and
thousands of fibercraft processors particularly in the areas where raw materials abound. Dyeing imparts
attractive hue in the materials to enhance the quality, increase the value, and be updated in colors, and
fashion. Each kind of plant material has its own physical and chemical characteristics that tend to
respond differently to processing conditions. This sensitivity to such conditions should be properly
addressed through infusions of pretreatment and dyeing technologies in order to attain the product
quality that can survive the competition in the global market. All plant materials can be dyed using
reactive, basic acid and direct dyeing. These fourteen plant materials were chosen because of their
commercial availability in the rural communities where handicraft manufacturers are located.
15. Kabkab- Foliage leaves used in floral arrangements. Ornamental or hanging plants. Family
Polypodiaceae

16. Pandan - leaves converted into stripes that are woven into small handbags and container to large
floormats with light interior wall panels. Sabotan hats. Leaf fibers suitable for handmade paper making.

QUIZ

1. Bamboo- is used a raw material in creating many products. It is used in construction, textile, musical
instruments, weapons, and many more.

2. Buri - is extracted from the matured leaves of the buri palm. The fiber is durable and resistant to
moisture.

3. Coir - is the fibrous material surrounding the fruit of the coconut tree.

4. Nito - is a plant belonging to the fern family that grows abundantly in the hinterlands of Mindanao.

5. Pandan - is a tropical plant. It is processed and transformed into splints that are being used as raw
material.

6. Raffia - is a fiber extracted from unopened buri leaf in 3 stages. It is loom woven into fabrics or used
as wall coverings, upholstery material, folding doors and window hangings.

7. Rattan - belongs to the palm family. There are different types of rattan palms, such as high or low
climbers, single stemmed or clustered rattan species.

8. Tikiw - is a large, erect, and aquatic or marshy herb plant. It is found in central Luzon to Mindanao . It
abounds in fresh water swaps, and in newly opened rice land at low altitudes.

9. Tikog - belongs to sea grasses. It is a native reed plant used as a raw material for mat weaving.

10. Abaca - belongs to the banana family. Its fiber has a naturalluster with colors ranging from pure
white to ivory brown