Aklan

In Aklan, piña is made from a specific pineapple variety called Red Spanish that is much smaller than the pineapple we usually eat and with much longer leaves. It is thought that the plant was brought into the Philippines by the New World and propagated there by the 17th century. By the 19th century, the Philippine made fabric of piña was known across the world. It is the fiber inside the young leaves of the Red Spanish Pineapple plant at least 18 months old that produces this fine cloth. There are different grades of piña from the purest to coarser combinations thereof. The highest grade is the finest, softest and whitest called "liniwan" and is found in less than 25% of a leaf. Older leaves are coarser and create the lowest grades called "bastos" or "wash." Fibers are thinner than human hair and must be carefully knotted by hand called "pagpanug-ot" to create thread. Despite this fragility, woven piña textile is very strong. Today, there are Piña imitations that are cheaper and made from polyester and silk blends like Piña chiffon, Piña organza, Piña Jusi, and Piña cocoon. There is also the Philippine Tropical Fabric (PTF) which is a mix of 5% table pineapple leaf fiber, polyester and cotton for more affordable threads that can be woven on power looms. 

Piña is used in a variety of clothing and home decor. It is most commonly seen in Philippine National clothing. "Barong" shortened  from "Baro ng Tagalog" or clothing of the Tagalog (a people living around Manila) is the formal men's shirt, worn untucked, traditionally made from undyed piña with fine embroidery. "Terno" can be referred to as Filipiniana dress, Traje de Mestiza, or Maria Clara dress. It is the dress that evolved from the traditional "baro't saya" or blouse and skirt which included a "pañuelo" over the shoulders and a "tapis" wrapped around the skirt. Terno is popularly known today as a unified dress with butterfly sleeves.