Like everyone and everything else, social enterprise Gifts and Graces Fair Trade Foundation was hit by the effects of COVID-19.

“In the beginning, all the outlets that carry our products including our own were shuttered,” said Vicky Jalandoni, executive director of the not-for-profit fair trade advocate.

With the help of Resonate Asia, the marketing team that was doing pro bono work for them, they built an online presence—something absolutely necessary during this era of e-commerce—so they could continue offering their products to sellers and providing livelihood for their community partners.

“We had to downsize big time, we moved to a smaller space,” said Jalandoni. “We are so grateful to angels that came along our path. Somebody volunteered their truck to help us move, people volunteered their time . . . There were always angels along the way.”

Their office space might have shrunk but what hasn’t downsized is their commitment to the communities they work with, their devotion to fair trade and their passion for offering quality products that their buyers fall in love with.

Gifts and Graces was founded in 2006 to bridge the gap between skilled but underserved communities all over the Philippines. It provides product development “by exposing the artisans to the current trends and . . . allowing for the preservation of heritage skills,” the foundation’s site reads.

And to buyers, what they’re selling isn’t a sob story but quality products. “The products, magagandahan ka. The bonus is it’s made by an underserved community and they benefit from it. Hindi siya paawa. The products have their own inherent value . . . They’re something that you’d want for yourself . . . It’s several layers of helping,” said Marge O. Obligacion, who has been the brand’s designer since 2009.

That hasn’t changed in 2021. Its Christmas collection features beautiful pieces crafted by skilled artisans, including “brushkin” pieces that will bring holiday cheer to any household.

‘Brushkin’ wreaths and reindeer

It was her father who taught Ellvina “Elvie” Herrera Alcaldeza the art of creating brushkin ornaments out of abaca. The abaca fibers are twisted onto a wire and hand-cut into shape. Her father has since died, but the mother of four and the rest of their community in Albay carries on his tradition.

Their brushkin wreaths, angels, reindeer, pine trees and parol are delightful to behold. Also from Albay are pretty fabric stars and our favorite Christmas tree bunting.

There are patchwork Christmas balls made by a sewing group from Makati led by Marylib Casador, who learned how to sew from her grandma and mother when she was only 5. Casador, who spent 23 years as a seamstress, is passionate about teaching others to sew. “She’s so enthusiastic to teach other stayat- home moms. Her quality is so good,” said Jalandoni.

“When we launched the Christmas line, we called it pockets of light because with the pandemic, with everything happening, it’s so dark, so dreary, it’s so hard to hold on to the small pockets of positivity. Looking at the decor and knowing the story of Gifts and Graces, I feel like it’s a light that’s shining right now,” said Tinkay Crespo-Prieto, Gifts and Graces’ sales and marketing head.

Gifts and Graces’ catalog is chock-full of great gift items for your loved ones as well—from the G&G Teddy Bear made using premium fabrics by stuffed toy makers from Caloocan, to embroidered face masks by Chillyo of Tarlac and t’nalak luggage tags by sewers in Mandaluyong.

The Carlota bag is a definite eye-catcher and also made with premium fabrics.

There are also great finds for plantitas and plantitos—planters by Corzo Crafts, woven planters by Patamaba weavers of Rizal, and garden aprons made by sewers in Mandaluyong. Jalandoni said, “I use it for when I go to the grocery. In one pouch is my cell phone, in the other is my wallet and in the middle is my alcohol, para wala kang bitbit na bag.”

Die-cast bells

Their year-round bestsellers are the die-cast bells, made by the T’boli tribe in Lake Seibu, South Cotabato.

“They’re so personal and so elegant and done beautifully. Buying it helps the community and keeps our culture alive. The brass bells are so authentically Filipino. Each one is unique,” Crespo-Prieto said.

The prices are affordable, often surprisingly so. “We look at it like we can sell more if we don’t overprice it. We earn enough for the operation of the NGO (nongovernmental organization) and then enough so that we pay our partner a premium,” Jalandoni said.

“I came from the other side of retail where everything was about profit and the bottom line . . . Working for Gifts and Graces is actually the most fulfilling thing because it’s not about you [or] the corporation. It’s about the people and the impact on their lives.”

So that makes giving their products as gifts doubly special. “It’s two-fold,” said Jalandoni. “It’s something that a person will use, but at the same time, you’re helping.”

In fact, it’s more than just twofold. “What we like to do at Gifts and Graces is when you buy a product, you’re not just buying from one community. It is always packaged in something else that was made by another community, or the trim came from another community. So there’s at least three communities impacted every time you buy.”

With each product come story tags that talk about Gifts and Graces and the artisan who created the product. There is power in putting a face to the makers, said Obligacion.

Fair trade

Fair trade is very important to Gifts and Graces, said Obligacion, who works closely with the communities. “Sometimes, when we ask people if they’re familiar with fair trade, they say, ‘Yes, we joined a lot.’ They interchange it with trade fair. But fair trade is a movement. You’re forging a partnership that benefits both makers and buyers.”

She added, “I want to share how we do fair trade . . . When we have somebody give us a price and we find it too low, kami pa nagsasabi sa kanila na you have to raise it a bit. You have to be paying yourself well.”

Donors provide materials for them to work with as well. “We ask fabric stores to donate to us the swatch books that they no longer use and we make use of them,” said Jalandoni. “We’re also so grateful to Morningstar Flour Mills for always donating to us their flour sacks. We’re able to give people work without having to worry about where their raw materials would come from.”

Gifts and Graces adheres to the principles of fair trade including transparency, fair practices, fair pay, no child labor, no forced labor, nondiscrimination, gender equity, respect for the environment and more.

High quality Gifts and Graces makes sure that the people in the communities they serve know the value of their work and that they find confidence in their skills. And they should—their products are of such high quality that government agencies order them as gifts to foreign dignitaries.

“They know that their creations that came from the mountains of Lake Seibu are in the hands of foreign dignitaries and Philippine consulates all over the world,” said Jalandoni.

Gifts and Graces also collaborates with other organizations and foundations. They partnered with the Orani Suhay Foundation, which was founded by the late engineer David Mendoza Consunji. One-hundred percent of proceeds from the sales of Capiz Christmas ornaments will support the foundation’s scholars and the craftsmen of their livelihood program.

Gifts and Graces can customize orders for companies and corporations, too.

“I like the idea that a simple design can change lives,” said Obligacion.

Jalandoni has a message for everyone: “Try to buy local because it will really help so many people. Ang dami-daming nawalan ng trabaho so we have to help our own.” INQ

Gifts and Graces’ full catalog: Tel. 0917-5545487 (Jennifer Regalado); email admin@giftsandgraces. com Follow Gifts and Graces Fair Trade Foundation on Facebook, @giftsandgracesfairtrade on Instagram; giftsandgraces.shop.