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Brand Story

We, at Island Girl promise to stay authentic in everything we do. Every facet of our brand is guided by a deep-seated intention to be a responsible company with an exuberant love for all things local. We wholeheartedly believe in the potential of Filipino creativity and we want to promote the vibrant diversity of our culture.

 

Who We Are and What We Do
Island Girl is a resort accessories brand that highlights the abundance of natural materials found in Cebu and its neighboring islands. Their raw materials are carefully harvested from the Philippines’ bountiful mountains and seas to create a wide range of authentically homegrown and hand-crafted Filipino products with original designs, exceptional quality, and good value for money.

Island Girl’s vision is to put the Philippines on the map through one-of-a-kind resort accessories that can easily go from day to night and shorelines to city lines.

 

Our Journey, Our Story
After about 30 years in the export-manufacturing industry, mother-and-daughter team Janet and Janice Chua had a surplus of unique raw materials from export production, and a keen desire to make sure that they wouldn’t go to waste. They began creating functional and stylish bags and accessories, that highlight local materials and traditional craftsmanship for the quintessential Island Girl in 2005.

 

Starting out as a spin-off venture from their export-manufacturing company, Cyprea International Inc. – they were experienced wholesale manufacturers with an established customer base all over the world, and a network of artisan communities all over Cebu. As the local export manufacturing industry began to slow down, they branched out into retail, and building built Island Girl to be the brand that it is today.

With a substantial amount of knowledge and experience under their belt, they developed an insight for creating designs that would appeal to the global market, by translating contemporary trends using local materials and techniques. They established their first flagship store in 2005, on the beautiful shores of Boracay a tourist hotspot.

In 2007, Island Girl was working with around 5 artisan communities. Over the years, they have since employed 15 communities comprised of mostly home-based, women artisans across Cebu who craft their bags, sandals, and
accessories.

Since then, Island Girl has been taking part in markets which support local artisan communities like ArteFino, Katutubo, Manila Fame, and establishing stores in tourist destinations all over the Philippines. With the increasing appreciation for locally made goods, and the brand’s contribution to facilitating the transfer of traditional handcrafting skills from one generation to another, Island Girl wants to keep adapting and innovating to keep sustaining the communities that depend on them for livelihood.

 

About Us
Island Girl is a resort accessories brand that highlights the abundance of natural materials found in Cebu and its neighboring islands. Their raw materials are carefully harvested from the Philippines’ bountiful mountains and seas, to
create a wide range of authentically homegrown, and hand-crafted Filipino products with original designs, exceptional quality, and good value for money.

Island Girl’s vision is to put the Philippines on the map through one-of-a-kind resort accessories that can easily go from day to night, and shorelines to city lines. By becoming the go-to brand for local bags and accessories that highlight homegrown materials and traditional skills, Island Girl aims to create world-class products while sustaining the livelihood of Filipino artisan communities.

Traditional handcrafting skills and local materials underpin all of Island Girl’s proudly Philippine-made creations. Every single product has hand-manufactured pieces made by rural artisan communities in the Philippines. Through skills like embroidery, crocheting, weaving, and bead-stringing  which the community artisans have inherited from past generations; the artisans expertly fashion local materials into Island Girl’s signature bags and accessories. This is a distinctly Island Girl feature, which is present in all their products.

 

Product Line and Offering 
Island Girl is all about keeping up with the ebb and flow of the latest trends to incorporate them into their creations whether it’s for their retail, wholesale, export, or corporate selections. By taking emerging styles to create fun and fresh pieces inspired by the tropics, they bring out the island girl in everyone! Each vibrant piece is ecologically sourced and made locally in Cebu so that you can take a piece of paradise with you, anywhere you go.

 

Purpose and Promise
At the heart of the Island Girl brand is the desire to elevate local bags and accessories. Island Girl intends on being a global brand that is beloved, timeless, and socially responsible.

They aim to make distinctly Filipino bags and accessories easily available, accessibly priced, and renowned all over the world. By consistently creating products with authentic indigenous materials, Island Girl wants to create products that are meant to be treasured for years to come. 

Island Girl hopes to empower local artisans to be proud of their cultural heritage by connecting them with the global market, wherein they can witness the high demand and staunch appreciation for their creations. 

As a brand that endeavors to uplift the lives of the individuals in their partner communities, Island Girl continues to improve their sustainability practices, to keep facilitating the transfer of skills from one generation of artisans to another. In the years ahead, Island Girl will keep pursuing their goal to become a beloved, timeless, and socially responsible brand; while expanding their resort wear line with apparel, and other destination-based goods.

 

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