Filipiniana dress code memo boosts Sassy鈥檚 Creation sales
SASSY鈥橲 CREATION, a Philippine startup, has experienced a surge in demand for its Filipiniana tops since a 2024 Civil Service Commission memo that requires government employees to wear Filipiniana-inspired attire on Mondays.
鈥淚t was a good thing for us local MSMEs because it鈥檚 hard to market pi帽a tops,鈥 Joy L. Rapsing, owner of Sassy鈥檚 Creation, told 大象传媒 in Filipino. 鈥淏ack then, it was only for special occasions, but now that the government mandated showcasing cultural heritage, it really helped us.鈥
The brand鈥檚 sales have more than doubled because of the dress code. 鈥淭he only downside is the competition from online shops offering low-quality materials,鈥 Ms. Rapsing added.
Sassy鈥檚 Creation uses indigenous handloom fabrics such as听 pineapple, jusi and cocoon for its tops, while upcycled scrap fabrics are transformed into boleros as part of its sustainable fashion advocacy.
Each piece, priced at P3,500 and above, is crafted by stay-at-home women, local weavers and 10 prisoners from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Antipolo City.
鈥淲e support cooperative communities,鈥 Ms. Rapsing said. 鈥淲e source many of our materials directly from manufacturers and ensure fair practices in workers鈥 salaries.鈥
The handcrafted textile used in these garments is also seeing growing international demand. The US accounted for 49% of Philippine textile exports last year, according to DHL Express.
The Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines expects exports of garments, textiles and apparel to grow 2-5% this year from a projected $1 billion in 2025. 鈥 Almira Louise S. Martinez
