The town of Basey in the Philippines is known for its colourful and unique Tikog handicrafts, which have been woven there since the 16th century. The raw material comes from a reed plant, Fimbristylis Utilis, known locally as Tikog which belongs to the family Cuperaceae. Tikog stems are gathered and bleached under the sun for several days to dry out. The weavers use them to make intricate mats, bags, pouches, boxes and other crafts. Most of the labourious activities to produce these handicrafts are done by women weavers known locally as 'paraglara'. The technique for creating the design on the Basey mats is often termed 'embroidery' as the design is inserted in an overlay of contrasting colours.after the plain background mat has been fully woven. The craft helps empower the women weavers and improve their everyday living conditions.