Yakap Duyan
Stylish handcrafted indoor hammocks made by traditional Filipino weavers for modern-day Filipinos
Yakap is a brand that creates home décor and furniture that highlights the traditional weaving practices across the Philippines. It aims to rekindle Filipino pride and bridge generations through Philippine traditional textile. Hence, our products are handcrafted and designed to proudly display our cultural heritage. Yakap is committed to creating products that express the ethnic statement of our ancient traditional arts to the modern day.
Yakap Duyan are customized indoor hammocks, hand woven and designed by different indigenous communities across the Philippines. These hammocks are built to withstand a weight of up to 250 lbs. However, depending on preference, clients may provide their measurements for their hammocks and/or frames for customization in both size and design.
Why Duyan?
The hammock represents rest and relaxation. The swinging motion of a hammock offers the nostalgia of being cradled as a baby, it brings you right at home. Designed from the hands of our indigenous weavers, we show that our traditional art can be incorporated to our modern day designs.
Also, recent studies show that hammocks offer the ideal method and quality of sleep. Ideally, one should sleep on his back with the head slightly inclined by about 10-30 percent, similar to how one sleeps on a hammock. Studies have shown that sleeping on a hammock can potentially alleviate insomnia and strengthen ones brain waves.
Why weaving?
After paying numerous visits to cultural exhibits and bazaars to gather information about local products, I was able to talk with some of our traditional weavers. For generations, they have been keeping their family tradition alive by weaving beautiful fabrics. Unfortunately, most of them are not being compensated enough for their craft – to the point where they would accept income far below what it deserves. In a story by Mr. Cirilio Bawer, an expert in the culture of Mabilong weaving, he recounts the plight of the weavers, of how they were being exploited by middle men to sell their fabric at dirt cheap prices. Note that a six-yard weave takes a week to finish!
Learning about our countrymen's situation ignited a passion within me to help Filipino weavers earn better to support their families and inspire their children to take up the craft and see it as a beautiful tradition to be preserved and passed on and incorporated to the designs of today.
With the world spinning faster than before, it is easy to overlook or even forget about the traditional arts that have been left behind, in time, where weaves told stories of our identity and culture. Globalization and colonial influences have made it much easier for us to forget about the ancient arts that represent part of our identity. It want to tell a story, through the weaves of our indigenous people, about the beauty of our cultural design and tradition. To bring these designs to the modern day so that everyone may remember, and never forget.
Making the Duyan
We have started collaborating with local weaving communities in Paoay and Mindoro. Acquisition of the fabric usually takes a week but it also depends if the fabric is customized. We are committed to creating excellent quality products, one fitting to represent the beauty of our traditional weaves and so, meticulousness, is one of our values. The sewing takes 3 - 5 days to finish including the rope attachment on both ends of the hammock. Simultaneously, the hammock stand will be built by our carpenters which can take a week and a half. We choose to produce well-made hammocks and stands that best represent our cultural arts.
Hand-weaving is one of the traditions that we wanted to preserve and bring closer to the Filipino people, and what better way to remind us of our cultural heritage than using it in our own home? Backers will receive unique postcards, wooden picture frames with interchangeable quotes, pillow cases, and even the hammock with a stand – all personally designed by our team.
We are a team of two people, but we are certainly not greenhorns on the field. Paulo is an industrial designer, he is in charge of all the technical aspects of the project including the concept of the hammock stand. And I have taken up interior design and fashion marketing. We have had a few difficulties with suppliers, but we believe in their capability to pull through, with proper consulting.
The funds will be used for product development and operational costs. Given our limitations, we will only have the capability to offer only a limited range of designs. But when we are able to establish ourselves, we will offer customization options wherein the customers can choose their own hammock design. Once we have enough funds and customers to create more products, we will begin prototyping a hammock hair.
Any excess funds will be saved and used to build a community hub dedicated to preserving and furthering the traditional art of Filipino weaving. Your contribution to our project will be instrumental to making this happen.
This project wouldn’t be possible without these amazing people:
Patch Dulay, Co-founder of The Spark Project – Your support and guidance really pushed and helped me pursue this project
Paula Gupana - Videographer and Editor
Regg Macasiray – Photographer
Miguel Manzanero – Photographer and Guest Model
Veda Galagnara – Guest Model
Yen Galagnara -OIC at Selah Resort, Pasay – For allowing us to shoot at The Selah Garden Hotel
Marie Gutierrez – For allowing us to shoot at BeeHouse, Antipolo
Mark Dacela, Dean of The One School – Thank you for your support
Always embrace your roots,
Ruth Aurelle Gupana
Name | Date |
---|---|
Juliette Terrei | 3 November, 2016 |
Hannah Gupana | 4 November, 2016 |
Aeones Deveyra | 5 November, 2016 |
Atreya Shankar | 6 November, 2016 |
Patch Dulay | 17 November, 2016 |
Rd Lim | 29 November, 2016 |
Ruth Gupana | 2 December, 2016 |
Rahul Immandira | 5 December, 2016 |
John Paul Vincent Uy | 7 December, 2016 |
Ruth Gupana | 8 December, 2016 |
Jeremy Orlina | 8 December, 2016 |
Michelle Sario | 8 December, 2016 |
Bob Flecknell | 8 December, 2016 |
Miko Resurreccion | 10 December, 2016 |
Evangeline Metzger | 10 December, 2016 |
Gemma Berador | 11 December, 2016 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Back this Project
Postcard - ₱500.00
Postcard
As a big thank you, you will receive 2 unique postcards personally designed by our team.
Rectangular Yakap Pillow Case (1) - ₱850.00
Rectangular Yakap Pillow Case (1)
You will receive 12 X 20 rectangular Yakap pillow. You will have the option to choose from one of the four limited designs that we offer.
As a big thank you, you will receive 3 unique postcards personally designed by our team.
Wooden frame with Interchangeable postcards - ₱850.00
Wooden frame with Interchangeable postcards
You will receive one 5 x 7 wooden frame made from reclaimed wood with 3 interchangeable postcards personally designed by our team.
Square Yakap Pillow Case (2) - ₱1,800.00
Square Yakap Pillow Case (2)
You will receive a pair of 16 x 16 Yakap pillow. You will have the option to choose two from the four limited designs that we offer.
You will also receive one 5 x 7 wooden frame made from reclaimed wood with 3 interchangeable postcards personally designed by our team.
Square Yakap Pillow Case (4) - ₱3,600.00
Square Yakap Pillow Case (4)
You will receive four of 16 x 16 Yakap pillow case. You will have the option to choose from the four limited designs that we offer.
You will also receive one 5 x 7 wooden frame made from reclaimed wood with 3 interchangeable postcards personally designed by our team.
Basic Package (Hammock + Rope + Pillow) - ₱10,000.00
Basic Package (Hammock + Rope + Pillow)
You have an option to bring your hammock anywhere.
You will receive a standard sized hammock with a rope that can be used indoor or outdoor plus a matching 12 X 20 rectangular Yakap pillow case
As a big thank you, you will also get one 5 x 7 wooden frame with 4 interchangeable postcards personally designed by our team
Standard Package (Hammock + Stand + Pillow) - ₱20,000.00
Standard Package (Hammock + Stand + Pillow)
You no longer need to worry where to put your hammock!
You will receive standard sized hammock and a wooden stand plus a matching 12 x 20 rectangular Yakap pillow case.
As a big thank you, you will also get two 5 x 7 wooden frame with 6 interchangeable postcards personally designed by our team.
Special Package (Customized Hammock + Customized Stand + Pillow) - ₱30,000.00
Special Package (Customized Hammock + Customized Stand + Pillow)
How about personalizing your own hammock?
Exclusively for this campaign, you can co-design with us your hammock, the hammock stand and it will be named after you. Also you will get two 12 x 20 rectangular Yakap pillow where you can choose two from the four limited designs that we offer.
As a big thank you, you will get three 5 x 7 wooden frame with 9 interchangeable postcards personally designed by our team.
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