From mustard leather scales to handwoven abaca carpets, the winners of Manila FAME's KATHA Award 2026 show how traditional craft is shaping the future of global style
By Ryan Louis Mantilla
Although Manila FAME recently wrapped up its 2026 edition, the celebration of the country’s creativity, craftsmanship, and talent across the home, fashion, and lifestyle industries continues.
Through the Philippines’ premier annual trade show, local designers, artisans, and manufacturers get a global platform to showcase what likhang Filipino truly means. Organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), Manila FAME puts Filipino design and artisanship in the global spotlight. Complementing this mission is the annual KATHA Award, which recognizes outstanding products and designs that demonstrate the ingenuity of local makers.
The KATHA Award evaluates entries based on innovation, creativity, functionality, aesthetics, execution, sustainability, and overall impact. This year's awardees embody all of these qualities in the pieces they have designed and produced with passion and exceptional skills.
Here are the winners from the most recent edition of Manila FAME:
Best Product Design for Furniture
Cascada chair by Zarate Manila
An impressive take on modern furniture, the Cascada chair is an avant-garde piece that combines a traditional silhouette with unconventional elements. Zarate Manila transforms an everyday item into an objet d’art by covering it in mustard-colored leather teardrops and fringe to create a scale- and foliage-like finish.
Best Product Design for Lamps & Lighting
Ursula chandelier by Catalina Embroideries, Inc.
The Ursula chandelier represents the artistry and textile craftsmanship of Cebu with its sculptural form elaborately set with details made with locally sourced materials, specifically wood and coco beads. A statement piece that helps create an inviting atmosphere in any space it is in, the Ursula also proves that indigenous resources can produce outstanding, one-of-a-kind design items.
Best Product Design for Holiday Decor, Gifts, & Toys
Panayanon Silak Grove obelisks by Erik Castelo
Giving classic holiday decor a fresh and innovative take, the Panayanon Silak Grove obelisks designed by Erik Castelo reimagine conventional holiday decor styling through a distinctly Filipino lens. The designer’s eponymous Iloilo-based studio used archival lace and abaca to create sleek, geometrical yet festive holiday decor that offers an alternative approach to seasonal decorating.
Best Product Design for Home Decor & Houseware
Fern carpet by WeaveManila Inc.
Made from handwoven abaca, the Fern carpet introduces the taste for Filipino design to a wider audience. Part of the Bicol-based WeaveManila Inc.’s collection of thick-weave carpets, it is available in shades of Cremeria, Coffee, and Bark, as well as custom-dyed color options.
Erik Castelo’s Panayanon Silak Grove obelisks (left) and details of the Fern carpet from WeaveManila, Inc.
Best Product Design for Fashion
Necklace and bracelet #1 by Papa’s Fashion Accessories
Created by Filipino fashion jewelry designer Arnel Papa, the Necklace & Bracelet No. 1 set reflects his bold approach to ornamental accessories and his creative use of indigenous materials. The matching pieces are primarily made of shells, bone, and wood, with complementary metallic accents, creating an interesting combination of organic textures.
Best Booth Design
One Of T
Taking home the Best Booth Design award was One of T, a studio founded by Design Commune curator and creative director Tony Gonzales along with the late designer Tes Pasola. The brand curated a collection of handcrafted, limited-edition design pieces—furniture, lighting, dinnerware, and home decor—into vignettes that combine creative expression with functionality.
Special Citation for Eco-Design
Nitraf placemat by Buttons 'N Things Arts and Crafts
The Nitraf placemat features a combination of traditional weaving techniques. Made by a company based in Aklan, pairs an intricate nito spider weave with crocheted raffia fiber, reflecting the collaborative efforts of several Aklanon communities, including the Monlaque Agrarian Reform Cooperative, the women from Nora & Banga, and raffia weavers.
Special Citation for Component Innovation
Tadeco Home
A brand that operates under Tagum Agricultural Development Co., Inc. (TADECO) as a community development initiative, the Davao-based Tadeco Home commemorates Mindanao’s indigenous craftsmanship through sustainably-made handcrafted home furnishings and decorative pieces. It transforms locally sourced natural materials such as abacá, Tnalak, cotton, banana pulp, bamboo, and beads into artistically crafted home accents.
