Bb. Pilipinas – International 2021 Hannah Arnold pushes personal advocacy to use Philippine natural textiles
The Philippines’ contender for the upcoming Miss International Pageant, a proud S&T advocate, Ms. Hannah Arnold, declares much interest and support for the use and promotion of Philippine natural textiles. Arnold expressed her support upon learning of our local capability to produce these world-class products and of their socio-economic benefit to the local textile industry.
Through her various social media platforms, the Binibining Pilipinas - International 2021 has been showing her support for Philippine textiles by inviting everyone to join the celebration of the Philippine Tropical Fabrics (PTF) Month for the whole month of January. These were through several virtual activities organized by the DOST-Philippine Textile Research Institute, and included the TELA Sessions, 3rd Philippine Silk Summit, TELA Conference Plenary, and the TELA Talks.
Arnold was the special guest during the launch of the 2022 TELA Conference Exhibition held at the DOST-PTRI TELA Gallery Textile Design and Innovation Hub in Taguig City. She inspired many with her beauty, wit, her love for Philippine-made textiles and the science and technology behind the making of these textile materials.
A modern Filipiniana ensemble made of 100% Philippine Silk was created for her by the DOST-PTRI, in partnership with various local textile stakeholders. The dress was made using fabric of silk yarns from silkworms reared by partner cocoon producers in Misamis Oriental. The fabrics used 21-denier silk yarn for the warp and 84-denier silk yarn for the weft or filling yarn which were naturally dyed using Philippine indigo and woven into a powder blue silk fabric. The silk fabric was handloom woven by the Dela Cruz House of Piña and was designed into a modern Filipiniana by the homegrown fashion brand BAYO.
Arnold proudly wore and modeled the Filipiniana during her visit at the DOST-PTRI facility and was delighted to see, first-hand, the different wearable products showcased in the TELA Exhibition, designed and produced by popular local brands like BAYO, Unica Hija, Philippine Fashion Coalition member-designers Ann Casas, Pablo Cabahug, Regina Aquino, and Niño Angeles, using materials provided by the DOST-PTRI. Inspired by the creativity of the Filipinos, she warmly expressed interest in bringing Philippine fashion to the upcoming pageant she will be joining.
All the outfits displayed were made using DOST-PTRI’s yarns, fabrics, and technologies as output of the Institute’s research and development programs. It demonstrates the applicability and huge potential of the Philippine Tropical Fabrics as material to dress the Filipinos on all occasions.
DOST-PTRI Dir. Celia B. Elumba shows Bb. Pilipinas International 2021 Ms. Hannah Arnold around the TELA Exhibition for the promotions of the Philippine Tropical Fabrics.
DOST-PTRI Director, Ms. Celia B. Elumba, during the 2022 TELA Conference, emphasized the institute’s innovations on tropical fabrics would allow more Filipinos to wear them and be proud of it as they reflect Filipino creativity and culture.
“You know our goal is really to have more of us wear more of the products that are made in the Philippines. So, we want to see 110 million Filipinos, though I’m happy to start with 10%, but I’m also very happy to start with 1.9 million government employees. We would like to see more Filipinos wearing more Philippine-made products made in the Philippines and it comes straight from the ground up. So, we are excited to see the fruit of this and we would love to see more collaborations”.
For more information about the Philippine Tropical Fabrics and DOST-PTRI’s programs and services, visit and follow DOST-PTRI social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube or check out www.ptri.dost.gov.ph. (By Sharmainne Rhey B. Caoili, Technology Transfer, Information and Promotions Staff, DOST-PTRI)
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