RESEARCH DATA:

The Kalinga kain comes in a variety of designs, one of which is the ginamat, also known as gilamat. This textile is primarily defined by bold red and blue stripes, although in this particular piece, the red sections are replaced with orange threads, both in the weaving and the embroidered patterns. The embroidery features continuous diamonds and triangles, or zigzags, which represent the mountainous landscape of the region (Anderson et al., 2010). These patterns are set against a background of orange and blue stripes, symbolizing the land and the sky, respectively (Anderson et al., 2010). Additionally, asterisks are embroidered onto the blue stripes of the skirt's panels, likely symbolizing stars in the sky. The warp edges of the skirt are embellished with supplementary weft yarns, creating bands of blue, orange, and yellow patterned lines along both sides. These brocade bands, formed by the supplementary weft, are a hallmark of Kalinga skirts, especially the ginamat or gilamat skirts (Anderson et al., 2010). To prevent the weft threads from unraveling, the ends of the warp edges are hemmed.