Why traceability matters
Across global supply chains, garments and fabrics can touch various hands several times before reaching consumers, often leaving little accessible information about where they came from, how they were produced, or what happens to them at the end of their life.
For Philippine handloom weavers, the problem carries another consequence. Counterfeit products can reproduce distinctive indigenous patterns and designs, potentially undermining the livelihood of communities whose textiles are rooted in generations of cultural knowledge and identities.
In November 2025, more than 120 weavers from 40 weaving communities in the country united to sign the historic Weavers’ Manifesto, a battle cry against imitation and machine-made replicas of their authentic handwoven textile products. The Weavers’ Manifesto pushes for the rights of handloom weavers, strives to safeguard their work and strengthen policies to protect intellectual property rights and support weaving sector development. This dilemma also translates to global textile issues. To address this, the European Union is moving toward greater product transparency by implementing the Digital Product Passport (DPP) by 2030. If a product has no DPP, it cannot be exported.