“Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. ” - Arundhati Roy

COVID-19 exposed what has been broken in our world all along. It has been a wake up call that the way we do things needs to be changed – our systems, our values, our actions.

Over the course of the pandemic, we had the opportunity to take a step back to take a look at ourselves and the world around us. We saw how not only small brands, but, most especially, artisans have been hit harder by the effects of the pandemic. 

A continuous evaluation of what was “essential” compelled us to ask ourselves questions: Was craft essential? How can we continue to add value to the world? How can we continue to take care of each other in a world that is clearly woven together?

We joined many online discussions - both local and international - where the long-term fate of craft itself was questioned, especially if artisan communities don't survive the crisis. We talked about how craft, health and wellbeing are intertwined.  It’s a little ironic — many think of artisanship as the past, but in many ways we think it will continue to remain relevant even in the future. 

• At its core, craft is humanity's expression through the means of basic artistic tools.
• From the beginning, artisans have already adopted “work from home” as they weave from their homes. They can teach us a productive and resilient approach to work that can even serve as form of community revival and and communal meanings.
• There is a beneficial impact of the arts on the prevention of ill health, promotion of health, and management and treatment of illness across the lifespan.

Weaving is considered to be a Filipino living tradition, and we realize that we have the unique opportunity to keep a living tradition alive and sustainable by advocating for its integration into our lifestyle.

That is why, in this gateway between one world and the next, from WVN Home Textiles we are stepping into this new world as WVN Living, where we put wellbeing and craft at the center of our daily lives.