About us
The Start
In 2022, while at a Holiday market in the Philippines, I beelined for the colorful booth full of beaded objects that caught my eye. While looking at their products, I was disappointed to see nothing that suited my style, or that could fit all of my junk. Still, I was determined to find something I liked. I asked the salesperson who fabricated them, and they informed me that beading was a common skill taught in most jails in the Philippines and that they were made at the local jail by PDLs (persons deprived of liberty, a term used in the Philippines for incarcerated individuals). I asked if the money went directly to the PDLs and if they could work with me to bring my own designs to life, and they said yes! Thus, the idea for Sinaya was born.
Moving to Manila
At the time, I had been living in NYC for seven years. I was 24, in the middle of a quarter-life crisis, and in need of a change. I’d been talking about wanting to live in Manila for years to reconnect to my Filipina roots and learn Tagalog. So in January 2024, I found an apartment in Manila, packed up my apartment, my dog Adobo, and my boyfriend, and we left NYC.
I have a lot of love for NYC and Manila. Growing up, I moved around all over the world and now these two cities really feel like the closest thing to home. I draw a lot of inspiration from NYC, whether that be from the fashion, culture, or my four years at Parsons. Manila has allowed me to channel this into supporting local crafts and communities while strengthening ties to my ancestry. Sinaya feels like the perfect representation of myself. A Filipina-American creative who just wants to express her maximalist self with color, sparkles, and a little edge.
Our Mission
Sinaya is not only about creating beautiful hand-beaded bags, but also about ending the cycle of incarceration for women in the Philippines. All of our products are meticulously hand-beaded by women in prison. Many of these women are still the primary earners for their families, and incarceration poses challenges in earning funds to support their loved ones. The earnings from their craftsmanship directly benefit each artisan.
Working with PDLs does pose some issues since I cannot communicate with them easily – no phones, no computers, no photos. Each week, I go to the correctional facility to meet with the artisans and discuss my designs to see how we can work together to bring my ideas to life (and check in on their pet cats). Sinaya’s mission is to provide these women with valuable skills and opportunities for personal growth. By allowing them to set their own prices and work on their own time, we hope to give them a sense of independence and control over their lives. We want to ensure that when they leave prison, they have the tools and support to succeed.