Suksuk for handwoven silk fabric

Suksuk is a distinct heritage of the Filipinos. Old folks from Abra, Ilocos, Aklan, Iloilo, Cotabato (Lake Cebu), and Zamboanga have been engaged in this weaving technique centuries ago. Now, this has become and is becoming a dying industry. As to date, the technology is limited to a few old weavers. This has not yet been transferred to the younger generations even in print media. The study was conducted at the Cocoon Processing, Product Development and Engineering Section of the Sericulture Research and Development Institute, Bacnotan, La Union, to document the existing suksuk method and its design; to adopt suksuk for silk fabrics; and to determine the cost analysis in producing different suksuk designs in the silk fabrics. The study documented the steps in suksuk method. Three designs were adopted/made: butterfly, spotted, and one-sided diamond. The cost analysis of each design was computed and analyzed. The costs of the three designs were based on 30 meters silk fabric. The total input in the production was derived from the fixed, variable, and overhead cost. The fixed cost was obtained from depreciation cost of the machine and tools, building, repair and maintenance, and electricity/water. Whereas, the variable cost included the expenses incurred in the purchase of materials, labor cost, and the factory overhead cost which was obtained by computing 10% of the sum of material and labor expenses. The respective total projected operating cost, sale, net income, price per meter, and the number of days in weaving 30 meters of the different designs were as follows: butterfly design - P13,551.14, P16,261.20, P2,710.06, P542.04, and 39.08 days; spotted design - P18,088.57, P21,706.50, P3,617.93, P723.55, and 62.53 days; and one-sided diamond design - P20,150.15, P24,180.13, P4,029.98, P11,806.00 and 71.30 days; with an ROI of 20%, respectively.