~ Our Story ~
Banig Collection is founded by two sisters-in-law, April & Fran from two different continents, Asia and Europe. The natural synergy started with bringing in to Malta something unique and authentic. Fran has always liked native asian products, while April has unconsciously continued to be attached to her roots, despite living in Malta for more than ten years.
As the business name suggests, April & Fran fell in love with the “Banig” material and fascinated on how much it has evolved from being a sleeping mat to hand bags, back packs and laptop sleeve. The creativity of the artisans are just unimaginable, and such creativity combined with the sustainability and durability of the material made it more appealing to promote the eco-friendly products in Malta and around the world.
~ Our Inspiration ~
The primary instinct was to share to Maltese community how eco-friendly products can be sustainable, durable, authentic and unique at the same time. As the venture goes on, this humble business put as in awe of how Banig goes way back and happy to be part of the genuine treasure of keeping the tradition alive. The traditional art of mat weaving has been handed down as tradition and supports the livelihood of the people in the provinces of the Philippines. We thrive to bring exciting native products while collaborating with genius artisans community from the Philippines.
~ Our Raw Materials ~
Our eco-friendly products are crafted from durable and sustainable raw materials from Ticog, Abaca, Raffia and Pandan. The grass is harvested from the fields, then sun-dried, sorted out according to length, dyed, pressed and flatted, woven and embroidered, crafted and sewed, blow torched and finally, polished or lacquered. Depending on the skills and time of the maker, the tedious process would take around two to five weeks to weave the finished product from its rawest form.
What is Ticog?
Ticog is a special reed grass that grows in swampy areas along the rice fields that acts like a sponge because it can hold higher volumes of water during the rainy season or release moisture to the soil during the dry season.
What is Abaca?
The Abaca comes from a species of banana that is native to the Philippines. It is extracted from the leaf stems of the Manila Help, a self sustaining plant. The Abaca is harvested for its strong versatile fiber for Abaca jute and Abaca twine that can be woven into different products we use today.
What is Raffia?
The Raffia fibre is obtained by peeling of raffia palm leaves. The raffia fibre is soft, pliable, strong, durable, easy to dye and biodegradable making it an excellent material for weaving.
What is Pandan?
Another tropical plant that was discovered to be a good material to create native products.
What is Rattan?
Rattan is a naturally renewable palm found in the Philippine forests and is distributed throughout the country for furniture, handicrafts, building material & accessories among others.
~ Our Collections ~
The Bag Collection
Our handwoven bags are handmade from natural materials, 100% made and embroidered from grass/fibers and were dyed to different colors before it is woven into a bag.
Any slight variation from one product to another in terms of color, texture and pattern are naturally resulting from differing grass strands and from the artistic hands of the weavers.
Native Collection ~ These are our classic items, designed for a great everyday bag, woven from the natural or dyed color of the varying organic sun-dried materials (Ticog grass, Raffia fiber and Abaca twine). The natural color of the bag adds edge to match it easy with any outfit. You can also style up the native collection with our fun pompoms.
Face Bag Collection ~ These are our iconic collections of woven bags with face designs. The idea came up from a weaver using a 10 year old boy’s abstract drawing of a face design, and such design went viral and critique to resemble a portrait of the famous Spanish painter Pablo Picasso.
Pattern Collection ~ These are our edgy collections of woven bags with random pattern designs. These bags are woven from the natural or dyed color of the varying organic sun-dried materials.
Pochette Collection ~ These are hand carry petite pochette bags made up of assorted vibrant dyed natural materials. These are perfect accessory to spark up your get up.
The Face Mask Collection
These are our uniquely designed and fashionable face masks to match your every day or elegant look. The masks have medical grade features that will provide safety and peace of mind.
The Accessories Collection
Mat Collection ~ These are our light weight and easy to carry on mats made up of assorted vibrant dyed Ticog grass and Pandan. Our handwoven mats are handmade from natural materials, 100% made and embroidered from the dried grass and were dyed to different colors before it is woven into a mat. Any slight variation from one product to another in terms of color, texture and pattern are naturally resulting from differing grass strands and from the artistic hands of the weavers.
Footwear Collection ~ These are traditional footwear of the Philippines, handmade from the durable material of Abaca jute, perfect for the hot Spring and Summer Seasons.
Hat Collection ~ Our crochet raffia hats are part of our Raffia collection. Raffia fiber is a durable material made from Raffia palm tree. Style up your every day look with these eco-friendly, handy hats with two sizes to choose from in the shades of natural, coffee and black.
Jewelry Collection ~ These are our precious gems, we have ready made and handmade accessories. Our handmade earrings are made from Clay, Abaca, Rattan and Macrame. We also have Gold-plated stainless steel necklaces & pendants. Try these uniquely designed pieces to accessorize your style. This is our newest colourful Collection!
~ Our Products are made with Love ~