Salago

Salago is a natural fibrous material obtained from the bark of trees belonging to the genus Wikstroemia, which grow mainly in the Philippines. Its history dates back to the pre-colonial period of the Philippine archipelago, where it was traditionally used for handmade fine papers known as salago paper, and later also for textile applications. Processing involves harvesting the bark of young branches, soaking it, separating it, and mechanically disintegrating it into fibres. The fibres are then cleaned, bleached, and spun or woven depending on the final use. In the textile industry, salago is used for decorative fabrics, specialty paper-based yarns, artistic crafts, and sometimes ecological textiles and nonwoven materials. It is valued for its softness, matte surface, strength, and environmental friendliness—it is compostable and renewable. Due to its origin and relatively easy processing, salago is especially suited for handmade textile production and artistic crafts.