Abaca fibers with lupis and jute combined to make a packaging box to add value to food items and soaps.

Heaps of bamboo shavings, pineapple peelings, corn husks and water lilies usually end up worthless; but in the recently held National Trade Fair 2009, they were processed and treated into paper and made as bags and food wrappers in their own unique design. Other materials such as bamboo, banana bark, rattan, raffia, sea grass and the abaca were also used. It demonstrates how unusual and unique things many people consider as thrash can be made beautiful and useful.

The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and the Bureau of Domestic Trade (BDT) showcased at the fair, 48 package prototypes for new gift packages and packaging materials that can be used for wrapping food, beverages, health and wellness products, personal care and novelty items using indigenous materials. Many local products made by micro-small medium enterprises already use attractive individual packages as a result of the technical assistance given by DTI and the Department of Science and Technology; however, many buyers are looking for packaging materials suitable for gift giving.

Bamboo paper are made into stylish and environment friendly bags.

From wines encased in bamboo with rattan tendrils, soap box in a combination of raffia, lupis and jute fibers, ground coffee wrapped in fresh pandan and abaca rope to gift and shopping bags made of water lily, rubberized bamboo and pineapple paper, visitors and buyers alike were amazed at the creativity of Filipino design using only unique material choices.  Ms. Fe Bulao of BDT says packaging gives an added value to the product by making it attractive. Even though it adds cost, the packaging material can be used for other purposes. It is aimed to enhance the marketability of products especially those produced under the One Town One Product Project or OTOP.

Viňa Domingo presents one of her designs, a bag made out of waterlily

Dubbed as the “Gift Packages and Packaging Materials Exhibit,” it also provided linkage between the buyers and the prototype manufacturers as well as encouragement to open up the idea of using such materials for packaging. The prototypes were developed by BDT through three private industrial designers: Francisco Tolentino, Majella Antonia Tresvalles, and Viňa Domingo. When designing a package, Viňa considered the viability, cost and innovation of using indigenous materials to the product. “My main influence comes from the material itself,” she quips while holding a Japanese inspired box made out of bamboo paper. Viňa advises local consumers to be open about using indigenous materials as packaging materials unlike abroad where they are marketable, “As long as these materials are treated well, they will not decompose nor be a home for insects.”

“Don’t judge the book by its cover,” may be an overused saying but when it comes to products for the global market, attractive cover and packaging material draws the line between what will sell or not.