It's rare to see a male weaver, which is why it was intriguing to chance upon an artisan at Binuatan Creations in Puerto Princesa testing his hand and foot coordination at the loom. The traditional weaving process begins with artisans gathering indigenous fibers such as abaca, buri, and local grasses, testing each strand for tensile strength before stripping, sun-drying, and sorting them by hand. Once arranged on a traditional wooden foot-treadle floor loom, the fibers are interlaced in rhythmic sync, requiring deft coordination of both hands and feet for the warp and weft to lock into place. At the center, visitors can watch this living heritage unfold or take a turn at the loom themselves under the guidance of master weavers.
Fruit of the Loom: Binuatan Weaving in Palawan
