LOOK: This Tourism graduate designs beautiful face masks made with local fabrics

Face masks have become a staple in most people’s lives this year, with the threat of the global health crisis. What used to be just plain surgical masks have evolved into many designs and variants to compliment different style personalities.

One such face mask that has caught the eye of netizens is that of Aero James Ebisa from Zamboanga, who launched his clothing line Locallaé. What’s great about Locallaé is that its face masks feature beautiful, colorful, and intricate designs featuring Philippine fabrics.

And not just any fabrics. Locallaé features handwoven fabrics such as Kantarines from Abra, Yakan from Basilan, Buhi from Bicol, Inaul from Maguindanao, among others. As most of these fabrics represent certain ethnic groups across the country, Ebisa had to seek permission from tribe leaders so that the textiles would be used in the right way.

A 2011 graduate of BS Tourism majoring in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Ebisa knew from a young age that he already had a knack for design and that was what he would dream of doing someday. Apart from his tourism education, he also took up culinary arts in 2013.

Apart from showcasing the craftsmanship of the Philippines’ local weavers, Ebisa also launched Locallaé as a way to help provide jobs to those who became unemployed when the pandemic struck.

Locallaé’s face masks come with four layers, two of which are non-woven, as well as water-repellant filters. Check out their products on Instagram.