HOME SPUN

What drawing inward means for sustainable local brands pushing for inclusive, committed, and culture-heavy fashion

- MARIAN SAN PEDRO

If there's one thing that makes local brands more warm, personal, and intimate than the mainstream, high-end names, it's the deep, great stories they dearly hold on to. And with immense integrity and awareness of intent-both of which serve well the people and the environment-these sustainable local brands are at the heart of homegrown art, style, and fashion. 

Kaayo

In Bisaya, the word "kaayo" means kindness, to go beyond, and for the good. Now, what started as a small partnership with a T'boli mother-daughter tandem has become Kaayo Modern Mindanao.

"Homegrown brands like ours stand out because of the heart and soul that we put into our pieces," says Marga Nograles, founder of Kaayo. "The stories we tell, the culture and traditions that we fight to keep alive and the passion we share with many Filipinos who are now all out to #LoveLocal and #CarryYourCulture." The homegrown brand Kaayo is a curated collection of items carrying different stories from Mindanao that are rooted in honoring the extraordinary skills of Mindanaoan artisans.