"The streets of Kalibo in Aklan Province vibrated with the pulse of the Ati-Atihan Fashion Festival on Wednesday, integrating traditional cultural celebration from drumbeats to the runway. Footage shows the 4th Ati-Atihan Fashion Festival, transforming historical landmarks into high-fashion corridors that highlight the elegance and exquisite artistry of indigenous Pina - the world-renowned pineapple fibre cloth. The fashion festival serves as a testament to Aklan’s long-standing relationship with the pineapple plant. Phats Dela Cruz Tambong, president of the Fashion and Design Council of Aklan, remarked that while Spanish traders introduced the fruit in the 18th century, it was the ingenuity of the Aklanons that turned waste into wealth. "The Aklanon extracted fibres from the leaves and wove them into cloth, but it wasn't popular then," Tambong explained. "In the 20th century, pineapple weaving boomed globally. In fact, one of the gifts during Queen Elizabeth’s wedding was a handkerchief made of pineapple fabric." Now in its fourth year, the fashion festival aims to provide a platform for young Aklanon designers. "Our goal is to promote historical sites by using them as our runway, showcasing masterpiece collections that use up to 100 percent pineapple fabric," Tambong added. Beneath the glamour of the gowns lies a rigorous, labour-intensive process. Unlike commercial pineapples, Aklan’s weaving industry relies on a specific variety to maintain its world-class standard. Footage from Tuesday shows farmers harvesting pineapple fibre, which weavers are seen threading through looms to make pieces. "Usually, we need almost 150 leaves to extract fibre and create one barong…This is the fibre we extract from pineapple leaves; after drying and knotting, we weave it into the finished product. This design is an authentic Aklan creation,” explained Angie Rose Reyes Marte, head of a pineapple-weaving cooperative in Kalibo. "Our craft is entirely handmade, and we only use the Red Spanish pineapple variety because its fibre is durable, unlike the Hawaiian types. Abaca fibre is larger, while pineapple fibre is finer," Marte elaborated on the criteria for material selection. The quality is further ensured by the plant's age. Anna India dela Cruz Legaspi, Pina weaving heritage ambassador, emphasised that they only harvest mature leaves - usually two years old - to ensure the fabric can last for a century. "We need to preserve our tradition because our Aklan handloom weaving is now included on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List," Legaspi added. The one-day runway event marks the opening of the wider Kalibo Ati-Atihan Festival, which runs from January 7 to 18 and features vibrant street dancing alongside a variety of food festivals."