CustomMade Handcrafted Traditions

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About the organization

Also known as the Custom Made Crafts Center, this social enterprise will source custom-made handcrafted traditional products from indigenous and rural communities and market them to consumers. Their products are organic and use non-timber forest resources while also respecting fair trade practices. They offer a wide variety of products such as handwoven clothing, accessories, household items and various office supplies.

CustomMade has their own group of designers that help the artisans create unique designs that also respect indigenous traditions. CustomMade focuses on sales, product development and marketing.

This social enterprise was originally created in 2003 under the initiative of the "Non-Timber Forest Products Task Force". This task force is a group of organizations that are working towards conserving forests by promoting the use of non-timber forest products as a sustainable source of revenue for indigenous and rural communities.

CustomMade source their handcrafted items from the Mangyan Alangan, Mangyan Hanunoo and Mangyan Iraya of the island of Mindoro; Higaonon of Bukidnon, Palaw'anon and Tagbanua of Palawan, T'boli of South Cotabato, Maguindanao weavers and the artisans of Negros island.

Business Category

Retail & Ecommerce

Business Sub-Category

Green products, Fair Trade, Filipino handcrafts

Year Founded

2003

What makes it a social enterprise?

The main social goal of CustomMade is to ensure that the artisans that make their handcrafted items can get sufficient income to survive solely by the production of those products while also preserving the original customs and traditions from indigenous populations. They also provide skills training to those artisans.

The protection of the environment is also essential to CustomMade. They encourage this form of income generation by the artisans because this livelihood does not significantly impact the existence of the forests as much as other rural economic activities do. They also require the use of natural dyes and sustainable harvesting procedures during the production.