"THERE is good money in garbage." This seeming according to Peter Delantar,
CEO and president of Nature's Legacy, a leading manufacturer of home furnishings and garden
accessories, came from his wife Catherine and proved to be true.
For years, the company initiated Clean and Green activities, and it was one of their activities in 2002 that the Delantar couple stumbled upon the idea of recycling the accumulated mountain of agro-forest debris - fallen leaves, shrubs, twigs - instead of burning them.
"For two years, we conducted numerous research and experimented with materials we normally discarded. Their properties made them and ideal material for home furnishings and even fashion pieces," says Delantar.
"After we finished our reserch, we launched our brand Naturescast in Germany at the Messe Frankfurt Ambiente, the premier home goods fair in Europe.
The Delantars named their company Nature's Legacy because of the nature of their design policy, which incorporates locally sourced raw materials and uses such materials natural aesthetic values in every product.
In line with its goal to expand its home furnishings and fashion accessories lines, the company joined the Merchandise Specialist Program (MSP), an initiative of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem), the Department of Trade and Industry's export promotions agency. The MSP, a component of Citem's signature event, Manila FAME International, provides qualified exporters with training and tools in branding, marketing and product development to ensure that Philippine export goods become even more competitive and in demand in the world market. This year, CITEM taps the assistance of two international branding and merchandising experts Michael Cleghorn and Linda Simpson.
"The program will be help my company come up with new products that meet the demands of the global market; it is not a perfect world and there will always be changes in market needs and requirements, so it's best to have products with great design and long-lasting value.
Nature's Legacy provides sleek, elegant and eco-friendly furnishings and fashion products to the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East. The company owns 23 Philippine patents, developed more than 4,000 mixed media designs, and won a Golden Shell Award in 2004 for its revolutionary design approach.
For its 54th edition, Manila FAME Intertnational will also feature major sourcing event brands: ManilaNow, CebuNext, Bijoux Cebu, Pampanga One and Mindanao One. Also, Philippine Airlines is one of the major partners of the show.
The Manila FAME International (www.manilafame.com) has been instrumental in the development of the Philippine home and fashion industries for the last 28 years. It is the only event in the country accredited by the Union des Foires Internationales, a Paris-based association of trade fair organizers.