THIS modest “mom and pop” store in Cebu City is the perfect place to find green presents for one’s loved ones this Christmas.
The pink façade of Presents and Such is hard to miss for passersby along Gorordo Avenue in Lahug, Cebu City where owners Rudy and Louella Alix sell various giveaways made from recycled marble powder.
“It’s everyone’s duty to care for the environment. With the marble powder, we can design any effect we want and it can look like wood or metal,”said Louella Alix.
The couple had run the store since 1998 and does figurines which costumers can personalize, various sculpture and wedding giveaways.
Their shop, contrasting the redundancy of other specialty shops that mass produces similar products, has different styles of picture frames, angels, jewelry boxes and hand-painted with various bright colors.
They also use recycled twigs and branches from their farm and make it into decorative bird cages which are adorned by colorful ribbons and marble figures.
The store also makes exact replicas of coral figures which are used as additional adornment to the gift products.
Their decorative items like angel, car, tree and shoe figures vary from P50 to P250.
Picture frames of various color and sizes can be bought for P250.
Giveaways for special occasions like weddings, Christening and debuts can be bought for P30.
Alix said that if the costumers would want their own design, they could also make a special marble cast for the costumers to create the product.
If you want to give something special, the store also makes casted sculptures, which are priced upon request.
Alix said they also made sure that their products had low carbon footprint when they were made.
Their seven employees don’t use energy when they make the products as they use cold casting and they use paint instead of paint spray.
“The labor, artistry and skills are proudly the local component of our products,” she said.
Alix said they established their business when her husband retired.
She said in creating their products they always made it a point to consider their impact to the environment.
“ If we abuse our natural resources, what will we leave for the next generation?” she said. /Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya