Rags2Riches began its work in Payatas, one of the Philippines’ largest urban poor communities. Home to around half a million residents, the area hosts numerous informal cottage industries, including women who survive by scavenging through dumpsites for discarded fabric scraps.

These women traditionally wove the recovered fabrics into handcrafted rugs. Over time, however, middlemen came to dominate the trade, paying extremely low wages to the artisans. Many weavers earned only PHP12–16 per finished product—roughly USD0.30 a day—leaving families trapped in poverty despite their labour.

To break this cycle, artisans needed access to fair markets, better product development skills and the opportunity to participate in the formal economy.

Rags2Riches connects artisans to ethical markets while providing training, design support and community development programmes.

The social enterprise works with artisans in disadvantaged communities to create fashion and home accessories made from upcycled scrap cloth, organic materials and indigenous textiles. By combining traditional craft skills with contemporary design, the products reach higher-value markets both locally and internationally.

Beyond market access, the organisation also invests in the holistic development of its artisan partners. Through skills training, health and nutrition programmes and financial literacy education, artisans gain the knowledge and stability needed to improve their families’ well-being.

To expand its impact and strengthen production capacity, Rags2Riches aimed to train additional artisan communities while developing stronger networks among its existing weavers.

AirAsia Foundation’s grant helped Rags2Riches expand its artisan network while strengthening skills development and market access.

• Train 100 new artisans from three communities through orientation and skills workshops
• Conduct integrated training at the R2R Academy covering healthcare, nutrition and financial management
• Facilitate collaboration among artisan groups through field visits and product development exchanges
• Connect new artisans to the Rags2Riches network to earn regular income as trained weavers

As part of the collaboration, the first Rags2Riches social enterprise products were also introduced onboard AirAsia flights. From July 2013, the specially designed R2RxAirAsia bags became available to AirAsia guests, expanding international exposure for the artisans’ work.