Sassy Abel Iloco

Annually, an Abel Iloco fashion show is being staged during the Christmas season in Ilocos. A fashion design competition is always a part of it. This is one way to promote the traditional craft. There were four local designers who competed with each other. One entry per designer was presented to the audience and to the board of judges. The board of judges was composed of Manila-based designers who had competed in international fashion design tilts.

Abel is an indigenous product made in Ilocos. This textitle is manufactured in Paoay and Vigan as well. This is a product of painstaking hand weaving or weaving with the use of a handloom. The cotton yarn made from local cotton plants is the main material for this textile. The making of abel textile involves an intricate process. This is composed of preparing and dyeing the yarn, arranging different colors of yarn to produce the desired pattern, and manipulating the wooden handloom with synchronized movement of hands and feet.

The usual Abel Iloco products that we know of include bed linens, blankets, bath towels, place mats, hand towels, table napkins and runners. But this time a fabric for fashionable and sassy clothing design especially by the winning design in photo by Amor Albano.

This is truly a very versatile material that can be used anywhere and in any form and style. Its a world class.