Textiles in the Philippine Landscape

This book compiles textile terms from the Philippine colonial period, drawing on both primary and secondary sources to trace histories and use. The abaca fabric called medriñaque, for example, appears to have been used for men’s shirts in 16th-century Peru and was recorded in 17th-century English records as “medrinacles,” a coarse canvas used for sails or for stiffening collars and doublets. Castro contextualizes the lexicon with a historical survey of the colonial trade and economy, which, in turn, shaped Philippine textile culture. With photographs of sample fabrics, the book serves as an introduction to those interested in textile history.