Please give us your elevator pitch:

I am a social entrepreneur – providing eco-friendly products, handmade from local Filipino artisans, with a strong focus on environmental impact and community empowerment.

What problem is your business solving?

AbanEco is a plastic-free business. Our goal is to shift the mindset on consumerism by going back to natural materials, with an end result where the products are able to return to the earth – not contribute to landfill. We share our message from a place of love and compassion. We are a social enterprise, connecting with the weavers and makers – developing strong relationships, and boosting morale. We are not just about “providing income, but to empower”.

Tell us three unique things about your business:

1. The brand is created by a daughter of an immigrant, weaving herself back into her Filipino heritage and advocating for our planet

2. We support the development of livelihood for Filipino artisans, and our products are swathed in culture

3. Every product is 100% from the nature – bamboo, pandan and coconuts, just to name a few

What can attendees expect to see from you at TCS?

A cultural space with stylish displays for your eco-living. You will see mats, wall-art, fashion totes, and bamboo cutlery-sets, all handmade in tradition. We share our message through love and compassion for the Earth – educating about the generation of women behind the weave. We invite chats about the environment, our status, and what we can do to contribute to the solution for our suffering eco-system.

Can you tell us a little about your background and where the inspiration came from for your business?

I’m a Filipino-born Aussie, and a mother of 3 Poli-pinos (Polish – Filipino). I’ve been a stay-at-home-mum for 10 years, and during those pram-pushing, nappy-changing days, I have made a conscious decision to become an entrepreneur – never to return to a boring desk-life. My brand, AbanEco, evolved from a simple idea of bringing back an iconic household item known as the “Banig” – a handwoven mat for sitting or sleeping. My idea is to combine my love for Mother Earth and my Filipino heritage; to showcase my culture, to celebrate and expose it to the world, all the while producing natural and compostable products.