Handmade in Batangas ✺ One-of-a-kind, never repeated ✺ New small-batch drops monthly
Likha Lokal
Where to find us
Katsa × Retaso · Batangas, PH

Likha Lokal: Slow-made,
one of a kind.

Likha Lokal turns used flour sacks and deadstock fabric into lifestyle pieces worth keeping — each one cut, stitched, and finished by hand, never to be repeated.

Meet the Carry-All → Our story
  • Sustainability
  • Women Empowerment
  • Inclusive Pricing
A patchwork katsa beach tote made of upcycled flour sacks, carried on a bright shoreline
One of a kind 1/1 Never repeated

The meaning
behind the name.

Likha — to create. Lokal — close to home. Together, a mindful lifestyle brand turning what's been discarded into something worth keeping.

Founded by Carmela in 2018 in Lipa City, Batangas, we champion slow, ethical practices — crafting unique pieces from upcycled textiles while creating livelihood for women living outside Metro Manila. Conscious, considered, and made to last.

Why Likha Lokal

Three quiet commitments.

Used flour sacks and deadstock fabric scraps

01 — Material

Katsa × Retaso

Every piece begins as katsa — used flour sacks — and retaso or deadstock fabric, rescued, washed, and reimagined into something new.

One-of-a-kind katsa totes hanging on a line

02 — Process

One-of-a-kind

No two pieces are ever alike. Each design is made once and never repeated — a small, wearable original you won't see on anyone else.

A handful of upcycled katsa scrunchies

03 — Pricing

Inclusive by design

Art you can actually live with. We price our pieces to be shared widely and used daily — not shelved away as luxury.

The Carry-All beach tote — a roomy drawstring bag pieced from upcycled flour sacks, carried on a bright shoreline 1 of 1 · Never repeated
The signature piece

The Carry-All
Beach Tote.

Our roomiest everyday companion — a generous drawstring tote pieced together from rescued flour sacks and deadstock cotton. Big enough for the beach, the palengke, or a weekend away, and soft enough to fold flat when it's not.

  • Patchwork katsaHand-pieced from upcycled 25-kilo flour sacks & retaso remnants
  • Drawstring cinchOpens wide, then pulls closed to keep the sand and sun out
  • Carry your wayLong, soft shoulder straps — unstructured and feather-light
  • One of oneEvery panel falls differently, so no two are ever the same
Find it at our stockists → Send us a DM on Instagram
The collection

More one-of-a-kind pieces.

Bags, accessories, and everyday objects — each stitched by hand and entirely unrepeatable. Found through our stockists and socials.

1 of 1 The Sibyl Bow Scrunchie: Oversized curved bow scrunchie sewn from upcycled katsa flour-sack fabric.
Accessories

The Sibyl Bow Scrunchie

1 of 1 The Isolde Bow Scrunchie: Oversized straight bow scrunchie in upcycled katsa and retaso.
Accessories

The Isolde Bow Scrunchie

1 of 1 The Marlena Pouch Bag: Large katsa pouch bag in colourful stripes and beige print fabric.
Pouch Bag

The Marlena Pouch Bag

1 of 1 Atlantis Crossbody Sling: Crossbody sling bag pieced from upcycled flour sacks and deadstock fabric.
Sling Bag

Atlantis Crossbody Sling

1 of 1 Katsa Day Tote: Everyday drawstring tote made from upcycled 25-kilo katsa flour sacks.
Tote Bag

Katsa Day Tote

Set of 4 The Gillian Cutlery Set: Set of four cutlery pockets in dark blue with colourful tassels.
Set of 4

The Gillian Cutlery Set

Set of 4 The Ashley Coasters: Set of four fabric coasters in light denim with pompom trim.
Set of 4

The Ashley Coasters

Adult set Mask + Lanyard Set: Adult face mask and lanyard set in dark blue upcycled fabric.
Adult set

Mask + Lanyard Set

1 of 1 Paisley Mask Lanyard: Mask lanyard in paisley retaso fabric.
Lanyard

Paisley Mask Lanyard

1 of 1 Katsa Knot Headband: a woman wearing a knotted headband sewn from flour-sack print katsa.
Headband

Katsa Knot Headband

1 of 1 Flour-Print Face Mask: two reusable katsa face masks with ties, showing the original flour-sack print.
Reusable

Flour-Print Face Mask

1 of 1 Upcycled Drink Carrier: Cup sling drink carrier made from upcycled katsa.
Cup sling

Upcycled Drink Carrier

Every piece is one-of-a-kind, so what's available is always changing. See where to find us →

A maker holding an armful of finished katsa tote bags
“Every scrap is worth saving — and so is every maker's time.” The Likha Lokal women
Women of Batangas

Made by hand,
made by women.

Behind every Likha Lokal piece is a woman in Batangas with a needle, a story, and an eye for what others throw away. We provide steady, flexible work to makers living outside Metro Manila — turning craft into livelihood.

It's slow by design. Cutting around a worn flour-sack logo, matching mismatched retaso, finishing each seam by hand — it takes time, and that's the point.

100%Upcycled
katsa & retaso
0Designs ever
repeated
1:1Made by hand
in Batangas
Flour-sack fabric and colourful deadstock remnants
No design repeated

From 25-kilo flour sacks to forever pieces.

The lettering you see on our bags isn't print — it's the original sack. We keep the marks, the type, the stains of a former life, and stitch them into something you'll carry for years.

25 Kilos Superior Patent Liberty Flour Mills Hard Wheat Retaso No Design Repeated
In the wild

Out living a second life.

Tag #LikhaLokal — we love seeing where our pieces end up.

Katsa tote hanging from a mangrove by the sea
Liberty Flour sling · by the sea
A couple carrying katsa bags on the beach
Weekend at the shore
A katsa drawstring pouch with a rope cord
Drawstring pouch
Two upcycled katsa drink carriers holding milk tea cups
Drink carriers
A floral katsa cutlery pocket holding a spoon and fork, on a table with cake and dried orange slices
Cutlery pocket set
Woman holding an upcycled flour-sack tote in a leafy garden
Flour-sack tote
A tumbler holder on a beach blanket
Tumbler holder
A row of upcycled drawstring totes
Fresh batch
As featured in

In the press.

Stories about the makers, the material and the bags, from 2020 to today.

Rappler feature on Likha Lokal founder Carmela as one of Grab Philippines' Madiskarteng Boss 20 RapplerNov 2020 Grab Philippines Madiskarteng Boss 20: the future of Filipino entrepreneurs Read the feature → La Local PH article on the women from Batangas who sew Likha Lokal totes La Local PHAug 2020 Scrap-weaving katsa into repurposed tote bags Read the feature → PhilSTAR Life gift guide listing the Likha Lokal katsa pouch bag PhilSTAR LifeDec 2020 Gift Guide 2020: eco-friendly gifts for those who want to start living more sustainably Read the feature → ABS-CBN News story on the virtual bazaar featuring Likha Lokal bags ABS-CBN NewsJul 2020 This virtual bazaar aims to support social enterprises Read the feature → Malaya article on the Metro Retail Stores virtual community bazaar, with Likha Lokal among the sustainable sellers Malaya Business Insight Metro Retail Stores' 3rd Virtual Community Bazaar showcases eco-friendly choices Read the feature →
Globe GO article listing eco-friendly products, including Likha Lokal Globe2024 10 eco-friendly products for a greener lifestyle Featured on Globe GO
GMA Lifestyle post featuring Likha Lokal at Tipon sa Manila GMA LifestyleMay 2024 Tipon sa Manila, presented by Hipan: Filipino-made products from Filipino-owned businesses Read the feature →
Screens from the Barangay PIE Lokal segment featuring Likha Lokal PIE Channel2024 Likha Lokal on the Brgy. PIE: Lokal segment of PIE (Pinoy Interactive Entertainment) Aired on PIE Channel
Where you'll find us

Stocked by good company.

Each piece is one-of-a-kind, so the best way to shop is in person. Visit our partner stores in Metro Manila, Benguet and Balesin Island.

TESOROS Handicrafts

The Filipino store where every visit feels like coming home — the Philippines, in a store.

Makati · NAIA T3 · Ayala Malls Manila Bay

Visit Tesoros →

Simula PH

A locally grown space making sustainable and zero-waste products accessible across the Philippines.

2F Glorietta 2, Ayala Center, Makati

Visit Simula →

The Good Store

A marketplace championing local, community-based, and cause-driven enterprises.

GF Grand Soho, Salcedo Village, Makati

Visit The Good Store →

Balesin Bounty

Balesin Island Club’s Bounty Shop, best known for Balesin-made specialty food, also carries a curated edit of Likha Lokal pieces.

Balesin Island, Polillo, Quezon

Visit Balesin →

Mt. Camisong Forest Park

An ecotourism park near Baguio. Find our pieces at its Kalupi Gift Shop.

Kalupi Gift Shop, Sitio Peday, Itogon, Benguet

Visit Mt. Camisong →
Good to know

Questions we get asked.

Short answers about the material, the makers and where to find the pieces.

What is katsa?

Katsa is the woven cotton cloth of the 25-kilo flour sacks used by Philippine mills. Likha Lokal rescues used sacks, washes them, and sews them into bags and accessories, keeping the original printed lettering as part of the design.

Is every Likha Lokal piece really one of a kind?

Yes. Each piece is cut from different sacks and retaso (fabric remnants), so the panels, prints and colours never repeat. Once a design is made it is not made again.

Who makes Likha Lokal products?

Home-based women seamstresses in Lipa City and Mataasnakahoy, Batangas. Likha Lokal provides flexible, order-based work so the makers can earn from home. Our head seamstress, Ate Maricris Montoya, has been with us since 2018.

Where can I buy Likha Lokal?

In person at our stockists: TESOROS Handicrafts (Makati, NAIA Terminal 3, Ayala Malls Manila Bay), Simula PH (Glorietta 2, Makati), The Good Store (Grand Soho, Makati), Balesin Bounty (Balesin Island, Polillo, Quezon) and the Kalupi Gift Shop at Mt. Camisong Forest Park (Itogon, Benguet). You can also message @likhalokal on Instagram for what is currently available.

Do you make custom or corporate orders?

Yes. We make customised totes, pouches and giveaways for weddings, events and corporate gifting, and co-branded collections with partner brands. Past partners include the Asian Development Bank, Metro Retail Stores Group, JCI Philippines and Dear Klairs PH. Email likhalokal@gmail.com with your quantity and date.

Where is Likha Lokal based?

Likha Lokal is a women-led lifestyle brand founded in 2018 in Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines. It is registered as a sole proprietorship.

Be first to the next
one-of-a-kind.

New pieces drop in small batches and sell fast. Join the list for early access to fresh katsa finds.

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