1. P INEAPPLE F ABRIC By Maria Alyssa M. Martinez

2. I NTRODUCTION Cotton is the most popular organic fabric in the world but in the Philippines, there are Piña or Pineapple (in English) Fabrics which are used in Filipino traditional clothing such as a Barong Tagalog centuries ago since the Spanish Colonization.

3. C ONCEPT N O. 1 A Barong Tagalog (the word "Tagalog" in the garment's name refers to the Tagalog region where my hometown is located) which are made from pineapple fabric is a traditional Men’s clothing in the Philippines usually used in weddings and other formal events. For my first concept I used a pale yellow Barong Tagalog and styled it with modern and trendy clothing and accessories like a neon feather earrings, clog shoes and colourful envelope clutch to make it chic this spring/ summer season.

4. C ONCEPT N O. 2 I refuse to stop with just traditional Filipino clothing which is, unfortunately, the case right now. Regal and Timeless are the two words that best describes the pineapple fabric. With it’s texture even though it’s technically a sheer fabric, designers can make any clothing with it like the shorts worn on the photo.

5. I F WE CAN MAKE SHORTS WITH IT, WHY NOT MAKE A WHOLE OUTFIT WITH IT ? Shorts are not the only clothing I think that could be created from a pineapple fabric. Why not also make a top like the blouse on the photo and a trendy skirt with it? Other things I thought too are trousers and blazers.

6. C ONCEPT NO. 3 If we can make shorts, tops, trousers, blazer and skirts with it. I also thought of “Why not print on it too?” Ever since I knew Piña or Pineapple fabric, I never actually saw it in boutiques and department stores unless if it is a Barong Tagalog or other Traditional Filipino clothing which are only used in formal events. Printed shirts are the ultimate must have in the closet of every teenagers and young adults.

7. H OW C AN A P INEAPPLE F ABRIC C ONTRIBUTE TO G LOBAL I NNOVATION ? Pineapple fabric are created from a pineapple plant which also produces the pineapple fruit that are very common in the Philippines. Spanish Red or Native Philippine Red Pineapples takes around 18 months to reach maturity. The good thing about this are pineapples respond better to rich soil, and now an increasing number of organic farmers in the Philippines are producing organic pineapple. So there’s no doubt that the pineapple crops leave a friendlier footprint on our environment. With environment problems we encounter today, the last thing we needed are fabrics produced with the help of hazardous chemicals like pesticides and insecticides. Also hazardous chemicals can cause damages not only in the environment but also in human body.