SMHCC vice president of Sustainability and Quality Leah Magallanes, executive vice president Peggy Angeles and designer Zarah Juan Sometimes, a simple idea can spark a change. This happened when Zarah Juan, a social entrepreneur known for her eco-friendly designs, approached SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC) with a proposal. “I pitched the idea. I said, ‘You have so many linens that we can upcycle.
‘ And I’m glad that every opportunity with SM that they can take to be more sustainable, they really listen. So, it’s a match,” Zarah shared. Her idea was to transform the hotel’s old linens into stylish bags, giving the fabric a second life and providing livelihoods for local communities. This partnership marked the start of Tela Tales, a project that breathes new life into discarded linens. Launched on World Recycling Day, March 18, Tela Tales is more than just recycling; it’s about telling stories through fabric, or “tela,” and creating positive chang