Senior high students transform coco coir into fashion items

Award-winning designs

MANILA, Philippines — It only took a coconut coir, which normally ends up as agricultural waste, for Grade 12 students to bag the top award at the 2019 Asia-Pacific Junior Achievement (JA) Company of the Year competition, besting 19 other startup companies from 13 countries in the region.

Aiming for a greener future with an emphasis on recycling, senior high school students from St. Scholastica’s College realized that the durability of the coconut husk make it a perfect plant-based leather alternative.

The group, led by 17-year old Alaina Tria, was just walking outside the school premises in Manila when she noticed coconut husks being thrown away by a vendor.

Alaina shared the idea with the other members of her team and it eventually became the main product for a project in their Business Enterprise subject, which started August last year. 

The group, which also includes Porsha Mangilit, 18; Raphaella Mae Sanchez, 18 and Gwen Maurie Villaver, 17 formed Terra Philippines, which manufactures stylish bags out of coconut coir, thus addressing sustainable fashion and food waste at the same time.

Coco coir, derived from the coconut hull, is made from the fibrous material between the outer husk and the actual coconut.

“We further researched that coconut coir is the second underdeveloped textile here in the Philippines. We wanted to incorporate this into the fashion industry particularly in bags,” Tria said.

“We want to show that coconut coir can be used in a wide range of products. I think what made us different is how our product and our advocacy was conceptualized and delivered,” she added.

Coir is often sourced for the production of upholstery stuffing, plant basket liners, doormats, brushes, ropes and rugs, among others.

Sticking to its tagline “Purpose in Every Detail,” Terra came up with its first product line “Isla” which comprises of multipurpose bags made of coconut coir and recycled textile sourced Pilipinas Ecofiber, which has partnerships with coconut farming communities in Camarines Norte, Carmarines Sur and Quezon.

Terra designed the bags on its own and sent it to local firm Kimbel International for manufacturing.

“We wanted to have a modern vibe and at the same time still imbibe Philippine culture,” said Mangilit, Terra Philippines corporate secretary.

Terra only shelled out P1,000 each to jumpstart the business. It has so far sold 130 bags already.

“We only had a small capital in the beginning but with all the opportunities coming in, we are now ordering big volumes  from our manufacturers,” said Sanchez, EVP for human resources at Terra Philippines.

“Our friends and family were the first to buy. We were just a small business so we tried our best to encourage them to buy and the word of mouth was really powerful,” said Jimenez, Terra Philippines marketing member.

Aside from taking the top prize at the 2019 JA Asia-Pacific Company of the Year tilt, Terra also won the FedEx Access Award, which recognizes student-run businesses that best exhibit the principles of global connectivity.

The JA program prepares the young generation for employment and entrepreneurship to benefit from the region’s economic development and create a positive impact in people’s lives and communities.

Each year, the JA network of over 465,000 volunteers serves more than 10 million students in over 100 countries.

Because of its recent feat, Terra has gained attention locally and internationally, prompting it to expand its product offerings.

“Some of the judges asked if we could create a product for men. That’s the reason why we are coming up with the Bucko bag, because it is versatile and is not just limited to women,” Mangilit said.

Terra remains committed to producing eco-friendly products and helping local farmers boost their livelihood.

“We have plans of visiting the farmers and all the people involved in the production.   We hope to continue to make an impact on the environment because we believe that a business should not only earn profit,” Tria said.

And while they are set to graduate from high school in June, Terra members are determined to continue the business.

Moving forward, Terra wants to expand its marketing initiatives and team up with other retailers interested in carrying its bags.

Terra  currently sells its bags via Facebook and Instagram.

And more than the quick return of investment and international recognition which the company gained, Terra values the importance of operating an actual business enterprise and selling a product in the real world.

“This is something you cannot just learn inside the classroom,” Tria said.