Preserving Filipino Craftsmanship With Krete Manila

For Krete Manila’s founders, Daniel Ubas and Viktoria, their passion for Filipino craftmanship started and grew over the years starting from their college days at the University of Santo Tomas taking up industrial design until they began working after college.

Daniel was working in a construction company handling design installations and project management while Viktoria was a Red box design talent under DTI-CITEM which allowed her to work with Cebu furniture manufacturers under the mentorship of Budji Layug. Viktoria’s works were also exhibited at Manila Fame, Salone del Mobile Milano, and Maison et Objet (Paris).

After being introduced to locally designed handicrafts in college, their work cultivated a passion for Filipino craftmanship which only grew deeper throughout the years.

“The idea of preserving Filipino craftsmanship in our generation drove us to become makers of our own. Upon taking the industrial design in college and having been exposed to locally designed handicrafts, our passion for Filipino craftsmanship grew through the years. Eventually, we wanted something that would challenge our design sensibilities.” says Daniel and Viktoria.

The name Krete Manila is derived from the word “Concrete” which is the main material used for their products and the letter “K” was used to make the name look more Filipino.

On using unconventional materials for their items, Daniel and Viktoria share that “With concrete, most people have the notion of using it in construction only (building, walls, floors, etc). So we wanted to test our creativity with it and apply it to home accessories, exploring ways of sustainable design.”

For this young Filipino brand, the owners started shop back in 2017 and began with the idea of selling a combination of concrete pots with plants.

“We wanted a sideline where [we] could earn some extra income. Our products were initially quite arbitrary and came in different shapes which we combined with succulents we bought from Cubao or White Plains.  Materials and molds were limited to whatever we could find in Divisoria. Cement was easy to come by as we stuck with the cheapest available at local hardware stores. From there, we experimented with cement, growing their understanding of the properties of using concrete for small items, and the visual characteristics it is capable of.”

From pots, Krete Manila has diversified to making and selling lamps, candles, trays, and vases.

But Kete Manila was not spared from the pandemic which affected them financially.

“The pandemic scrapped all of our business plans and ideas for the year 2020. We were used to collectively generating sales through store consignments and supplying products to events prior to Covid-19.” according to Daniel and Viktoria.

“Since events were canceled and stores/ businesses closed that year, many of our projects were also gone. We shifted our focus to selling online, but it has then been an uphill battle trying to increase sales and reaching the right target market.”

Despite this struggle, the Krete Manila owners still say that the best part of their business is being able to have creative freedom over design processes and direction.

“We are able to witness firsthand the abstract idea being transformed into a tangible product with our hands. We also get to collaborate with other small businesses and uplift each other. Being in a community of local makers who share the same values and advocacy is fulfilling.”

Their customers can count on Krete Manila’s items being made from scratch and undergoing a thorough process tailor-made according to the needs of each client and collaborator.

Aside from this, Daniel and Viktoria make use of sustainable production and consumption by exploring waste materials (like crushing failed or excess concrete items) and processing them into aggregates and integrating it into their mixes.

One of Krete Manila’s goals is to innovate and integrate material exploration into their designs, all while passing on craftmanship skills and knowledge to others and creating opportunities and jobs in the community for fellow Filipinos.

Krete Manila’s latest venture is Project Kapiz in partnership with the Spark Project, where they integrate capiz shell waste into concrete.

Krete Manila’s items can be bought online through Instagram. They are also available for custom-made pieces and designs.