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A closer look at hand-crafted footwear inspired by T'nalak cloth. Josh Mercado

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Josh Mercado

While fast fashion continues to flourish, slow fashion quietly strives to survive.Behind those quiet moments are craftsmen, artists, designers, weavers, sewers, tastemakers, and founders who always try to do the right thing without harming anyone or anything. The fashion industry has seen all of this. &quot;I want to buy local but it&#x27;s so expensive&quot; is a common comment when slow fashion is brought up. &quot;Of course it&#x27;s expensive because the brand name is Tagalog,&quot; some would say.And they’ve been repeatedly reminded that it’s the creativity and cultural richness — not the price. Anything done meticulously has a worth that no one should ever question.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773881759766image1.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Sinelas supports artisans from Lake Sebu (South Cotabato). Josh Mercado </div>In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News, Sinelas founder Amelita Revilla discussed Pinoy consumer frustration with the high pricing of local products.“Maraming namamahalan. Kailangan talagang ma-show sa public na these are the reasons why it’s pricey. [Sa amin,] may story ang bawat footwear. Kapag nalaman ng mga tao ang story, baka ma-inspire sila na bumili. May pupuntahan naman ang bawat pagbili nila. Perhaps after hearing each story, they will say, ‘Okay. Since it will benefit the artisans, I will purchase it,’” Revilla said. Reminding consumers about the art of producing local products, Revilla continued, “Because all materials come from Lake Sebu. Wala rito sa Manila. Sa kanila ang mga materyal. Lahat talaga ay kamay. Walang machine. Gawang-kamay talaga.”The Sinelas owner then made an appeal to the public to support local products, telling ABS-CBN News, “Sana mabigyang-pansin at tangkilikin ‘yung local products. Our advocacy is to help our artisans sa Lake Sebu in South Cotabato. Sila talaga ‘yung gumagawa nito. Nung natapos nilang gawin, they were so happy. Nakita nila na mayroon pala silang capacity. Supporting a local business, such as ours, gives craftsmen hope and income na tuluy-tuloy. Gusto kong lumaki ito para sa kanila.”<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773881826823image3.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>A look at hand-crafted footwear inspired by T&#x27;nalak cloth. Josh Mercado </div><div>Culturally rich footwear </div>Now stepping into the spotlight, the businesswoman, who has a factory of her own and has worked in the garment industry for 15 years, explained why she chose to create her own footwear brand.“There are already many local clothes brands, so I established footwear instead to appeal to those who enjoy footwear,” she told ABS-CBN News. Defining it, she continued, “Walk in faith. When you wear footwear, you want to feel comfortable. Your feet should be comfortable. And you must have faith in your footwear.”According to Revilla, she continues to be inspired by the craftsmanship and culture of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, home to the T&#x27;boli people, who are known for their colorful traditions, beautiful crafts, and strong cultural ties, as well as their T&#x27;nalak textile, woven from abaca fibers by Dreamweavers.Drawing inspiration from dreams, each T&#x27;nalak cloth is unique, representing the T&#x27;boli people’s environment, stories, and resourcefulness.Describing Sinelas, she stated, “This artistic energy serves as its inspiration. The brand aims to incorporate elements of Filipino culture into contemporary footwear. It provides footwear that honors the richness of Filipino culture while being straightforward, meaningful, and comfortable in today&#x27;s fast-paced world.”“The brand&#x27;s footwear combines comfort, culture, and everyday style. It also focuses on sustainability. People today are more concerned with how products are manufactured. Whenever possible, the company advocates for responsible and sustainable production,” she added. Collaborating with her is Jared Servano, a Mindanaoan design titan, first runner-up on Project Runway Philippines, and representative of Filipino creativity at the International Fashion Showcase in London. “He brings a level of revolutionary expertise that ensures our products are not just local, but world-class,&quot; she told ABS-CBN News.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773881841924image5.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-dragging" width="960"/>A closer look at hand-crafted footwear inspired by T&#x27;nalak cloth. Josh Mercado </div>Sharing the same advocacy, Servano stated, “Actually, when I started in 2016, when I was a finalist in ‘Project Runway Philippines,’ &#x27;yung advocacy talaga namin was to help indigenous people in South Cotabato. Because taga-roon kami, we concentrated there. Lahat ng mga gawain ng mga katutubo, ini-infuse namin to a certain product. Those products are 100% handmade.” Revilla then highlighted Servano&#x27;s close relationships with artisan communities around Lake Sebu, telling ABS-CBN News, “He is in charge of the artisans there. He is the guru and the group&#x27;s leader. Having said that, the relationship inspired us to create these designs.”It was also announced that the footwear collection would be supplemented by the At Iba Pa ready-to-wear line, which is a collaboration with Sofia Jude, Servano&#x27;s daughter and the visionary behind the brand Anore.Revilla concluded by expressing that each piece of footwear sold is a step forward in supporting slow fashion and helping artisans whose faces are rarely seen but whose skills are always felt.

Sinelas is championing slow fashion by turning Filipino craftsmanship into wearable art. Founder Amelita Revilla highlights the rich culture of Lake Sebu artisans, creating handmade footwear that blends comfort, style, and sustainability.

Sinelas is championing slow fashion by turning Filipino craftsmanship into wearable art. Founder Amelita Revilla highlights the rich culture of Lake Sebu artisans, creating handmade footwear that blends comfort, style, and sustainability.

Sinelas founder steps in to protect slow fashion

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Sinelas founder steps in to protect slow fashion

Josh Mercado

Published Mar 19, 2026 05:14 PM PHT

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footwear

slow fashion

Sinelas

Lake Seibu

South Cotabato

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