The most anticipated and much-awaited event in VegFest 2023 is the VegFest Runway. A sustainable fashion show that has become a highlight of the festival. This year’s event resonated with creativity and resilience even in the face of a tropical storm. It showcased how fashion can contribute to preserving the environment and saving it from the climate crisis.

The VegFest Runway captivated a blend of innovative designs from three visionary fashion designers and a celebrity stylist. Together, they illustrated the impactful mantra of recycling, reusing, and reducing or the 3Rs. Through these compelling collections, the 3Rs define modern sustainable fashion.

A Showcase of Creativity and Sustainability
The first collection was called “Simply Trashion.” It captivated the audience with its transformative use of everyday recyclable materials. The designer turned empty plastic wrappers into stunning pieces. Shredded rice sacks were also used. They challenged conventional norms about waste by incorporating repurposed fabrics.

Leby Le Moría followed with a profound presentation. The attendees were treated to a collection that embodied years of introspection. The notion that vulnerability can be a source of strength is an inspiration. Each piece from her collection represented a chapter of her journey. Intricately woven with humanism and creativity.

Next in line is Twinkle Ferraren’s Style Isle. The tropical landscapes of the Philippines influenced here we’ll renowned island wear designs. Putting together local artisans and indigenous tribes to encapsulate Filipino artistry. Ferraren’s collection showcased the rich Filipino heritage, and sustainably sourced textiles and accessories.

The show’s pulse quickened with celebrity eco-stylist and author Miss Kayce. She highlighted the vegan statement collection in advocating for positive change. Miss Kayce inspired the volunteer models to mix creatively and match pieces from their existing wardrobes. Aligned to their fashion choices with a vegan philosophy. A philosophy while promoting conscious consumerism.

A Spotlight on Emerging Talents
The next day of VegFest 2024 is dedicated to students from SoFA Design Institute. They presented their unique street wear creations on the runway. Their instructor, Irene Grace Subang, guided their creativity to new heights. These budding designers utilized textile scraps donated by Barrios Studios.

Three esteemed experts in sustainable fashion judged the students. The judges are Prince Jimdel Ventura of Wear Forward, Buena Sawit of Barrios Studios, and celebrity stylist author Miss Kayce. They judged the students’ efforts across three categories: Best in Upcycled Construction, Most Innovative, and Best Collection. Additionally, the audience had the chance to vote for their favorite, culminating in an exhilarating People’s Choice award.

Embracing Eco-Consciousness
The VegFest Runway 2024 persevered to continue despite the looming threat of tropical storm Man-Yi. A powerful reminder of the fashion industry’s potential to drive environmental awareness. It served as a platform for creative expression and also as a conduit for inspiring actionable change.

VegFest Pilipinas, in collaboration with Fashion Revolution Philippines, reiterated its commitment to sustainable fashion. Leaving an indelible mark on the attendees and participants alike. The event successfully merged the worlds of fashion, environmentalism, and cultural heritage. It promoted a collective consciousness toward a more sustainable future.

As the final curtain fell, it was clear. The VegFest Runway has once again proved that style and sustainability can walk hand in hand. Where change is more than envisioned but it’s being woven into the very fabric of our lives.

Isabela State University in Ilagan City is at the forefront of a textile revolution! The Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) has set up a facility there to create yarn and thread from bamboo – a sustainable and versatile material.

This isn’t just about replacing cotton with bamboo. PTRI is blending bamboo with cotton to create unique yarns perfect for clothing. Imagine – government uniforms made with Philippine-developed, eco-friendly bamboo fabric!

Ilagan City’s commitment to sustainability aligns perfectly with PTRI’s vision. The yarn production process is automated, minimizing waste. Plus, they cleverly recycle scraps into new threads! This innovative facility produces 50kgs of yarn every 8 hours, paving the way for a greener textile industry.

The future of textiles is being woven right here in Ilagan City, and it’s made from bamboo!

Label is Beyond Retro’s own range of recycled vintage clothing, designed in-house by their creative team in London and manufactured within their own factory in Kandla, India. As each piece of the Label collection is made from a pre-existing vintage garment, to then transform into a wearable and covetable piece of clothing for today requires a unique skill-set and a very different approach to the traditional design process. The team that lead this are comprised of 82 highly-skilled garment specialists, pattern cutters and vintage graders and this is the story of two of them, Padmini and Laxman.

Padmini studied for a degree in engineering but once she’d fallen pregnant she had to leave this path behind and move back to where her mother lived to seek support and assistance with child care. Padmini looked for local employment to enable her to balance her home life with work and now works for Beyond Retro as Raw Materials Manager, a job that she loves. She now leads and assists a team of 23 people in vintage grading and is passionate about recycling.

“I have a degree in Engineering and Industrial Production, and my first job was as a Documentation Executive in Bangalore for a used clothing company where I was quickly promoted, but had to leave when my daughter was born. I came back so that my mother could look after my daughter Prarthana Neora whilst I am at work. We’re always looking for ways to use our knowledge, figure out ways to recycle more and think up more inspiring ways to use the products.”

Kandla is within an industrial zone that was heavily populated by USSR factories and there are now only three garment factories left. Laxman is a pattern cutter with a passion for the creativity and craftsmanship of sewing. Having worked in a garment factory previously, Laxman observed people making patterns with a watchful eye and has since developed the skills which he now possesses to create samples for Beyond Retro Label on a daily basis.

“Sewing is in my blood. My father owned a tailor shop and I learnt a lot from him; my first job was with him and now I work for Beyond Retro”.

Laxman now follows in his father’s footsteps and takes home a regular pay packet in a job he loves, he says,

“I enjoy being able to sew all day, creating new patterns and then seeing the finished product. Understanding the detail required and the sewing limitations of a sample is important to making a good pattern cutter. The item that I am most proud of making is the fringed leather biker jacket; it looked very good and was quite complicated to create. The strangest item I’ve made so far are the 3D Christmas jumpers that had cuddly toys affixed!”