Epson Collaborates with Filipino Designer on Waling-Waling-Inspired Textile Collection
Epson Philippines Corporation partners with local fashion label Urban Label by Maria & Co to produce a new textile collection that reinterprets Filipino cultural heritage through modern digital textile printing.
The collaboration, supported by ES Print Media, Inc., brings together Epson’s printing technology and the design work of Filipino designer Beatriz Nicole Benadera. The collection highlights how traditional symbols can be translated into contemporary fashion using precision-driven production tools.
Waling-Waling as the Centerpiece of the Collection
At the core of the collaboration is the Waling-Waling, widely regarded as the Queen of Philippine Flowers. Long associated with resilience and natural beauty, the orchid serves as the primary visual motif across the textile designs.
Rather than functioning as decorative accents, the Waling-Waling patterns are integrated directly into the fabric. The approach allows the flower’s form, color, and scale to shape the garments themselves, blending cultural symbolism with modern silhouettes.
Textiles as a Storytelling Medium
Benadera drew inspiration from Filipino identity across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, treating textiles as the main canvas for storytelling. The designs move away from heavy embellishment, placing emphasis on print placement and fabric structure to define each piece.
This method positions textile design as a foundational element rather than a finishing detail, aligning with a growing shift in contemporary fashion toward material-led construction.
Digital Printing Enables Precision and Scale
To execute the collection, Epson’s SureColor SC-F9430H digital textile printer was used to reproduce detailed photographic references of the Waling-Waling. The printer allowed large textile panels to be produced in single runs, preserving fine details and ensuring consistency across each garment.
According to Epson, this level of precision supports complex designs while maintaining visual continuity, particularly for flowing and layered silhouettes.
Supporting More Mindful Production
Beyond visual quality, Epson highlighted the role of digital textile printing in enabling more responsible production practices. On-demand printing reduces excess material use and allows designers greater control over output, addressing common challenges in traditional textile manufacturing.
“Working with Epson completely changed my creative process,” Benadera said. “It allowed textile design to become part of each garment and shifted my approach from designing around limitations to designing with confidence.”
EPC President and Director Masako Kusama said the collaboration reflects Epson’s broader commitment to combining technology with creative industries. “Epson has decades of experience in precision printing. Our solutions help designers execute ideas with clarity while supporting mindful production,” she said.