Banig, the traditional Filipino mat, is often seen as a mundane object found in every Filipino household. So humble and familiar that to foresee such a domestic piece attracting interest from an international audience feels unlikely. Sapin-Sapin tells a different story. 

Emerging Filipina artist Julia Villamonte collaborates with Swiss designer Vera Roggli of Ve Ro Studio in bringing banig to the global stage through Shared Matter at Milan Design Week this year. The duo introduces Sapin-Sapin, a multifunctional mat that can be folded into a low seating object, laid out for resting, or installed as a hanging room divider, handwoven from Karagumoy leaves (Pandanus simplex). The duo combines their research and respective design backgrounds to develop a piece rooted in the weaving traditions of artisans in Julia’s hometown, Labo, in Camarines Norte. 

Julia Villamonte, though Milan-based and practicing in Italy for more than a decade, is firmly grounded in Filipino culture and identity. Influenced by her background in architecture, she founded her studio Fili, where she creates sculptures and domestic objects of soft, intuitive forms using woven natural fibers. Her early exposure to handmade crafts using abaca, rattan, nito, and other local species has shaped her career path toward international collaborations, editorial features, and exhibitions across Europe.

Related Reading: Mirei Monticelli Translates Emotion through Sculptural Lighting in Pleasure Garden at Milan Design Week

Banig in Brera and Beyond

Organized by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, the exhibition Shared Matter at Spaziovento in Milan’s Brera district highlights collaborative design practices through a curated selection of projects conceived by international designers through research, residencies, and self-initiated practices. Alongside visionary prototypes of lighting, musical instruments, tiles, and tableware, Sapin-Sapin was selected through an open call by an international jury based on design quality, innovation, and cultural and production context. 

With its commitment to fostering dialogue through design, the one-week-long exhibition traces the trajectory of each project, stressing that support matters not just in results but in the processes that define them. In a context often driven by commercial exposure, the traditional mat remains as evidence of material responsibility and cultural storytelling, where a designer’s heritage is translated into a tactile object for everyday use. 

Before this project, Julia and Vera’s collaboration began with Sotto Mano: Fiber Narratives. It was a research exhibition launched at last year’s Milan Design Week, which focused on the origin of materials and the specificities of each different natural fiber. Through hands-on study and exchanges with locals, the duo explored often-overlooked plants found in their immediate environments. From Italy and the Philippines to Belgium and Switzerland, they reconnected materials to place, process, and purpose. The research ultimately led the two to a more tangible outcome: the birth of Sapin-Sapin.

Related Reading: Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance and Dior Return to Milan Design Week 2026 

Material Origins Matter 

What once felt ordinary, Julia recalls, was the banig she grew up with. After moving to Italy, her perspective on her own culture and place of origin shifted, prompting her to view things from a different angle and emphasize the need to bring it into conversation. 

Deeply rooted in Filipino craft traditions, Karagumoy, positioned within the international design scene, stands out among familiar industrial materials. Through a rigorous yet sustainable process, the native leaves are stripped of their spines and thorns. They are then dried, boiled to enhance flexibility, dried again, and dyed before being woven into textiles for mats, hats, bags, and baskets. Once a wild fiber derived from the pandan family, the material is transformed into a durable, high-quality textile with a subtly leather-like texture. 

After learning weaving through the artisan communities in her hometown since 2019, Julia puts Labo, Camarines Norte, on the global design map. “It’s special to be given this platform, and I feel proud that this object is place-specific. It’s really important for me to provide context for the pieces I make. I cannot diminish it and simply say this is a material from the Philippines. It’s very specific to Camarines Norte, and there is always a need to acknowledge that,” she shares.

While some viewers note that they have never encountered the material before, others recognize forms that resonate with their own culture. What Julia describes as a universal weaving technique reveals a shared familiarity rooted in the value of materials and their sense of place. Like discovering the same object in your grandmother’s home in rural China, or recognizing a handwoven tablecloth in a trattoria in Italy, artisanal weaving is not extraordinary in itself; rather, as Julia points out, the distinction lies in the material, which carries both value and a sense of belonging.

With the narrative of crafts outside the Western canon, the Bicolana artist raises concern about reducing cultural depths to aesthetic shorthand: “It’s important to provide as much context as possible. Some people would look at it and solely think how nice it is, but they don’t understand the reason behind it, the material used, the process done, or the place it came from. It’s crucial to communicate that this piece is from my region and to involve the weaving communities in Labo, where I learned it. By giving back to local artisans and sharing recognition with them, designers can mitigate the risk of flattening a rich tradition into passing trends.” 

In doing so, her practice becomes a quiet reminder that every woven piece holds a geography of memory, labor, and belonging, carrying meaning beyond aesthetics.

_{Header photo courtesy of Julia Villamonte.}

Related Reading: An Introduction to Milan Design Week: Salone del Mobile, Fuorisalone, and the Key Districts

Building Third Spaces: 4 Kapitolyo Cafés as Community Hubs in Pasig

Located in Pasig City, Kapitolyo is a small village that is known for its food and beverage scene. From karinderyas to local bistros, the area is a popular hub for young professionals and families. The cafés in the neighborhood reflect the dynamic community they serve, offering more than just a cup of coffee. What Makes […]

Protected: The Quiet Power of Everyday Details

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Protected: Dexterton (DXT) Launches a New Kohler Showroom at its Quezon City Office

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

Anton V. Quisumbing Returns to Sculpture at the Yuchengco Museum with Pasulong

Pasulong by Anton V. Quisumbing explores loss, longing, and repair. Two years in the making, Quisumbing pieced together the remains of bronze propellers from boats damaged in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette in 2021.  Curated by Miguel Rosales and designed by Caramel Creative Consultancy, the exhibition consists of twenty-nine compositions. The works suggest that moving […]

Advertisement

SoFA Design Institute Partners with IE University to Expand Opportunities for Filipino Design Students

SoFA Design Institute has established itself as one of the Philippines’ leading centers for creative education. It is dedicated to equipping students with the skills, perspective, and confidence needed to succeed in design both locally and internationally. Last March 11, this vision was brought into sharper focus through the launch of SoFA’s academic partnership with […]