In a workshop in Davao City, women from Think Outside the Trash sat around tables of discarded linens. Their fingers were stained indigo blue. Designer Dars Juson guided them as they folded, bound, and dyed fabric into tote bags, vanity kits, and bucket hats.
Each fold carried more than technique. It was a way to shape their own future.
Tela Tales Davao Launch: A New Thread
This is Tela Tales—SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation’s initiative to turn condemned hotel linens into useful, beautiful items.
The Tela Tales Davao launch at Park Inn by Radisson took place during Kadayawan Festival. It marked the program’s first step into Mindanao, following earlier rollouts in Iloilo, Bacolod, Pico Sands, Taal Vista, and SMX Manila.
Here, the project carries a deeper purpose. Fifteen percent of every sale supports Malamba Elementary School – G. Astilla Sr. Cultural Minority High School in Marilog. The funds help provide art materials and classroom tools for indigenous students.
At the launch, Councilor Tek Ocampo, a longtime supporter of the group, called it “a practical way to link waste reduction to local opportunity.”
Designing with Purpose
Davao-born and REPAMANA co-founder Dars Juson returned home to lead the project. He is known for creating fashion from salvaged textiles. For him, the lesson is simple:
“When you cut and stitch fabric that once had no future, you also stitch together new possibilities for people.”
Under his guidance, the women learned sewing. They also practiced the Japanese shibori dye method, where fabric is folded and bound before dyeing. The result: vibrant indigo patterns that turned old linens into new designs.
The debut collection—vanity kits, tote bags, and bucket hats—carried those patterns proudly. Each item showed skill, resilience, and a sense of dignity.
In a workshop in Davao City, women from Think Outside the Trash sat around tables of discarded linens. Their fingers were stained indigo blue. Designer Dars Juson guided them as they folded, bound, and dyed fabric into tote bags, vanity kits, and bucket hats.
Each fold carried more than technique. It was a way to shape their own future.
Tela Tales Davao Launch: A New Thread
This is Tela Tales—SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation’s initiative to turn condemned hotel linens into useful, beautiful items.
The Tela Tales Davao launch at Park Inn by Radisson took place during Kadayawan Festival. It marked the program’s first step into Mindanao, following earlier rollouts in Iloilo, Bacolod, Pico Sands, Taal Vista, and SMX Manila.
Here, the project carries a deeper purpose. Fifteen percent of every sale supports Malamba Elementary School – G. Astilla Sr. Cultural Minority High School in Marilog. The funds help provide art materials and classroom tools for indigenous students.
At the launch, Councilor Tek Ocampo, a longtime supporter of the group, called it “a practical way to link waste reduction to local opportunity.”
Designing with Purpose
Davao-born and REPAMANA co-founder Dars Juson returned home to lead the project. He is known for creating fashion from salvaged textiles. For him, the lesson is simple:
“When you cut and stitch fabric that once had no future, you also stitch together new possibilities for people.”
Under his guidance, the women learned sewing. They also practiced the Japanese shibori dye method, where fabric is folded and bound before dyeing. The result: vibrant indigo patterns that turned old linens into new designs.
The debut collection—vanity kits, tote bags, and bucket hats—carried those patterns proudly. Each item showed skill, resilience, and a sense of dignity.
A Festival Showcase
The Tela Tales Davao launch was part of Kadayawan’s celebration of creativity. The showcase stood alongside regional artisans like Ayla Pearls and Bina Batik.
Sven Toune, General Manager of Park Inn, noted: “Tela Tales reflects the spirit of our community and the creativity we find every day.”
Women’s Voices Carry On
The Davao initiative follows earlier Tela Tales efforts in the Visayas. In Iloilo and Bacolod, SMHCC worked with the Homeless People’s Federation of the Philippines and the Negrense Volunteers for Change, with designer Zarah Juanguiding artisans.
Women there shared how Tela Tales gave them both income and purpose. It was not only about earning from craft. It was about contributing to the environment while supporting their families.
That same spirit now continues in Mindanao, where new hands and voices take up the mission.
From Waste to Everyday Use
For Leah Magallanes, Vice President for Quality and Sustainability, Tela Tales is also part of SMHCC’s broader goal to reach Net Zero by 2040.
But its true impact can be seen in the workshop. Dye-stained hands give forgotten fabric new life. Women see their work displayed, valued, and carried into the world.
Each piece sold ripples outward—sustaining livelihoods, supporting schools, and proving that abundance can be stitched from what others once left behind.
A Festival Showcase
The Tela Tales Davao launch was part of Kadayawan’s celebration of creativity. The showcase stood alongside regional artisans like Ayla Pearls and Bina Batik.
Sven Toune, General Manager of Park Inn, noted: “Tela Tales reflects the spirit of our community and the creativity we find every day.”
Women’s Voices Carry On
The Davao initiative follows earlier Tela Tales efforts in the Visayas. In Iloilo and Bacolod, SMHCC worked with the Homeless People’s Federation of the Philippines and the Negrense Volunteers for Change, with designer Zarah Juanguiding artisans.
Women there shared how Tela Tales gave them both income and purpose. It was not only about earning from craft. It was about contributing to the environment while supporting their families.
That same spirit now continues in Mindanao, where new hands and voices take up the mission.
From Waste to Everyday Use
For Leah Magallanes, Vice President for Quality and Sustainability, Tela Tales is also part of SMHCC’s broader goal to reach Net Zero by 2040.
But its true impact can be seen in the workshop. Dye-stained hands give forgotten fabric new life. Women see their work displayed, valued, and carried into the world.
Each piece sold ripples outward—sustaining livelihoods, supporting schools, and proving that abundance can be stitched from what others once left behind.
