MANILA, PHILIPPINES — As most of the Philippines is caught up in the new normal, many new hobbies have grown to be helpful for those who are staying safe at home. Since the start of the recent pandemic, home quarantine has become an avenue for many to try out new projects to keep themselves entertained. From plant care to Dalgona coffee, and even crochet; plenty of do-it-yourself activities progressed into a lifestyle trend that add skill and opportunities for a lot of Filipinos.
An industry that makes from home
The Philippine Shoe Capital, Marikina City, is best known for its cottage industries that are founded on craft. Making from home is a staple with the majority of the players in the local shoe industry being run by shoemakers who manufacture their products from their own home studio. This thriving industry was greatly impacted by the effects of the pandemic. With more people staying at home, fewer are buying shoes from the local shoemakers. Despite the difficulty though, Marikina continues to flourish with innovative and creative means to celebrate its heritage of art.
Zapateria, the Philippines’ first creative hub for footwear design and development, takes this challenge as an opportunity to heighten appreciation for the craftsmanship of Filipino shoemaking by making it more accessible to those who wish to understand it better. Taking inspiration from the emerging lifestyle of creative learning and do-it-yourself, Zapateria is to launch the Make Your Own Sliders Kit. This DIY kit highlights the heritage of craft from the Philippine Shoe Capital by bringing it to hobbyists’ homes. Those who avail of a kit will experience what it’s like to make their own footwear like that of a Marikina Maker and take on this new creative passion project.
Sliding into a new passion project
“Make Your Own” by Zapateria is a series of Do-It-Yourself kits that feature a variety of footwear and leather craft projects designed to bring out your inner maker. Each MYO kit contains a set of materials and guides necessary to produce a certain type of creative product. The first kit to be launched is the Make Your Own Sliders kit, a good make-from-home beginners’ set that introduces hobbyists and craft enthusiasts to the process of making footwear.
The output product from the kit is a pair of double-buckle strap slide slippers that will be prepared with the guidance of an instructional video that is available digitally for streaming. The Make Your Own Slider Kit also consists of materials and components that are sourced locally in Marikina City. To encourage creativity, makers and hobbyists may also choose from a variety of different material colors so they can customize their sliders.
The “Make Your Own Slider” kits are available for only Php 580 at www.zapateriahub.com. For more information about the MYO kits and other soulfully made goods, check out @zapateriahub on Facebook and Instagram. Get yours today and make your memories in crafting together.
