Puyo Handicrafts - Philippines

Belongs to the family of the banana plant (Musaceae family) and is indigenous to the Philippines. The banana plant and the abaca plant has a striking similarity in looks but the main difference is that the fruit of the abaca plant is inedible. Its fiber is known as the Manila Hemp. Abaca is not a hemp but since hemp was the main source of fiber for centuries, the abaca fiber was named Manila hemp. Abaca has been cultivated in the Philippines since the 1500s and became known worldwide in the 1800s mainly used as ropes in ship rigging.