Craft Creations Barong Products

The career path taken by Craft Creations owner Randy Maniquiz has thoroughly prepared him for the entrepreneurial challenges and nature of the industry his enterprise is in. Early in his career, he worked for five years in a fiber weaving company in Aklan as a marketing staff. Later on, he attended a fashion designing course and fabric development training.

He then started his own business, Randy’s indigenous thread in 2008, supplying woven fabrics with designs to different fashion designers and manufacturing companies. In 2011, he started making his own Ready to Wear (RTW) products – Barong and Filipiniana dress with paper mache as packaging. He then opened his first outlet at the Fort in Taguig, and in 2015 he expanded his business in his hometown Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija.

In 2017, he was approached by the DTI through its Negosyo Center in Gapan City. It was the start of a series of assistance accorded to the company. Aside from consultancy services, the company was enrolled under the OTOP Next Generation project and was provided with product development assistance, of which 15 prototypes were developed and showcased during the 2017 Likha ng Central Luzon Trade Fair, which was held in SM Megamall. It was also one of the exhibitors from Nueva Ecija. Later that year and through DTI’s continuing assistance, it also participated in the national trade fair. It generated the highest sales among Central Luzon exhibitors.

To date, the company has 78 subcontracted employees and 36 regular employees. It intends to supply to various department stores and concept shops by 2018. It also enrolled as a Kapatid Mentor Me Mentee of DTI-Nueva Ecija this 2018.♦

–Gerald Dennis S. Suyayen