Abaca Ikat Placemats | Set of 4 | Handwoven by Daraghuyan Tribe | Bukidnon Philippines | 42×31.5cm

HANDMADE: LEAD TIME UP TO TWO WEEKS

Before a Daraghuyan woman begins weaving, she performs a ritual. It's been that way for generations — a moment of intention before the work starts, a recognition that what she's about to make carries meaning beyond its function. These placemats come from that tradition.

The Daraghuyan are one of seven indigenous tribes of Bukidnon, in the highland interior of Mindanao in the Philippines. Their pinanggabol weave is made on a vertical loom using abaca — a fibre harvested from the abaca palm that grows abundantly in their forest. Strong, naturally water-resistant, and possessed of a warm, slightly rough texture that improves with use, abaca has been central to the material culture of the Philippine highlands for centuries.

The ikat patterning is achieved through a tie-dye technique applied to the fibres before weaving — which is to say the pattern is not printed on top but locked into the structure of the cloth itself. The two-toned olive gradients you see are produced using a combination of plant pigments and traditional dyeing knowledge. Up close, the slight blurring at the pattern edges is characteristic of true ikat and is the mark of the process, not a flaw in it.

They work as everyday placemats, as a table runner laid end to end, or as the kind of detail that makes a simple table feel genuinely considered.

What you'll receive

• 4 × handwoven abaca ikat placemats

Details

• Quantity: Set of 4
• Size: 42 × 31.5 cm each
• Material: Abaca fibre (pinanggabol weave)
• Colour: Olive — plant-pigment and traditional dye combination
• Technique: Ikat — tie-dye applied to fibre before weaving on a vertical loom
• Made by: Daraghuyan Tribe, Bukidnon, Philippines
• Properties: Naturally strong, water-resistant, improves with use
• Slight variation in size, colour, and pattern between pieces is inherent to the handmade ikat process

About the makers

The Daraghuyan Bukidnon Community is one of the seven indigenous tribes of Bukidnon in the Philippine highlands. Their pinanggabol weaving tradition is both a livelihood and a spiritual practice — women perform a ritual before beginning each day's work at the loom. Purchasing this set directly supports the continuation of that tradition.

Styling notes

• The olive ikat pattern pairs naturally with dark wood, terracotta ceramics, and woven rattan
• Works beautifully alongside the BoKa hand-painted ceramic plates for a globally-sourced table edit
• Lay four end-to-end for an impromptu table runner effect on a long dining table
• The natural abaca texture contrasts well with smooth white linen or cotton napkins

Care

• Wipe clean with a damp cloth for everyday use
• Spot clean only — do not soak or machine wash
• Air dry flat, away from prolonged direct sunlight to preserve dye tone
• The abaca fibre will soften naturally with regular use

Part of The Home Edit — Boutique Kaotique's edit of handcrafted homeware sourced from artisans worldwide. Every piece is chosen for its craft, its story, and its refusal to be ordinary.