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| T'nalak Home's collection is constantly evolving making the store an exciting place to score new accessories for the home |
TADECO Livelihood has been in the forefront of exporting stylish locally made products made from abaca for almost 20 years now. But it wasn’t until five years ago that it decided to open its flagship store, T’nalak Home, in Abreeza Mall. Its purpose? To make the well-crafted and well-designed products enjoyed by the rest of the world available at its place of birth.
Back then, TADECO Livelihood’s products, with constantly evolving designs, were showcased only at international fairs, which sold to foreign buyers. You may have caught sight of an interesting home products in your travels abroad and not know it’s made in the Philippines, in Davao to be precise.
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| The T'nalak Home flagship stop at the Abreeza Mall just turned 5 years old. |
Designer and manufacturer, Maricris Floirendo-Brias, decided the products should be made accessible to the Dabawenyos, thus she opened T’nalak Home. The boutique will serve as a showcase of the talent and craftsmanship of the locals, and the products designed by other Filipino designers across the country as well.
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| (Tree) "Bark" collection: vases & table runner |
Today, T’nalak Home has become a constant stop for interior designers, architects and homeowners for their home accessory needs.
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| An assortment of designs from the T'nalak Home's pillow cover collections. |
What is always exciting with T’nalak Home is that home decorators, both professionals and hobbyists, will always something new at the showroom. Regularly new designs are manufactured and showcased in both local and international fairs. After each exhibition, the products are displayed for sale and order.
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| A sculpture actually. T'nalak with inner wiring then molded into a bowl. |
The recent additions to the store’s collection have been exhibited in the recent buyer’s fair. The new design pays homage to the traditional “ikat” design.
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| Back to basics. T'nalak Home's new collection pays homage to the traditional patterns of the local tribes |
On the hand woven t’nalak pillowcases in different sizes, an assortment of patterns in different color combinations are presented. Each are attractive and can make for a conversational piece, but it’s when the different patterns are mixed and matched that makes the total look striking, as it is with the other collections of pillowcases.
The tribal patterns find its way on the collection of handmade papers as well. Patterns mimic the weaving pattern of the local tribes and presented in vibrant hues.
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| Traditional tribal weaving patterns are on the handmade paper as well |
All the paper products found in T’nalak Home are crafted by hand using natural fibers. The designs of the current collection are then printed on it. This products line make for great giftwrapping materials or covers for jacket of stationery sets, menus, etc. the like, which are also available for sale or order at the store.
The Coral Bowl makes another appearance but this time in grey. The design, which comes in three gradated sizes, are created by meticulously wrapping dyed abaca fibers set in place by malleable metal wires circling the coral shaped iron base. With or without content, the Coral Bowl is certainly a décor that will call attention.
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| Recently exhibited at Manila FAME- the Coral Bowl in 3 sizes |
New collections are something to look forward to at T’nalak Home. Things of beauty created from the abaca fiber, and when woven, the t’nalak, constantly evolving and finding its way in homes across the globe.
In Davao, where all these are given birth to, not only does TADECO Livelihood and T’nlak Home preserve the weaving tradition of the Mindanao local tribes, it also gives pride to the culture of the South through its world-class handcrafted products.
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Email me at jinggoysalvador@yahoo.com. For more lifestyle & travel stories, visit http://apples-and-lemons.blogspot.com and http://jeepneyjinggoy.blogspot.com.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on May 22, 2016.
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