How a Broken Camera Bag Inspired a Filipino Brand Built on Craft and Purpose

When Louie Poco’s camera bag broke in 2013, he didn’t just fix it—he sparked a business idea. The former industrial design student struggled to find a replacement that matched his style and standards, so he decided to make one himself.

He and his wife Marita Ann Enriquez-Poco collaborated with a local bag maker to create a bag from scratch. The result was their first wax-coated camera bag prototype—one that not only carried gear but also the beginnings of Gouache, a proudly Filipino brand rooted in craftsmanship, collaboration, and a deep understanding of its market.

Wax became the defining element of Gouache’s products. While the material wasn’t popular at the time, it gave the bags a unique texture, a rugged personality, and water-repellent properties. The waxed canvas, paired with leather accents, created a distinct, distressed aesthetic.

Acccording to Louie, the name Gouache comes from the Italian term for a watercolor painting technique. Gouache bags are painted with wax. “No two bags are the same,” says Louie in an interview with The Business Manual. “Each is unique because of the nature of the wax canvas, so the creases, the lines, the shading of every item is not identical.”

Crowdfunding and Pop-Up Opportunities

Through a mutual friend, Louie and Marita Ann met Patrick “Patch” Duly, founder and CEO of The Spark Project, a crowdfunding platform that supports impact-driven businesses with funding tools and training resources.

“We learned about his platform and saw the opportunity to concept test our design and product,” Marita Ann says. The couple took photos and videos of their bag prototype and pitched it to The Spark Project. 

They also showcased their bags at community events hosted by The Spark Project, generating buzz for their upcoming crowdfunding campaign.

At the time, Louie was taking entrepreneurship classes at Thames International’s The Entrepreneur School of Asia, where he was required to test a product for a course project. The prototype camera bag became that project.

He spent only Php3,000 on the prototype, but the crowdfunding campaign raised Php200,000 in pre-orders. Retailer CommonThread Philippines soon noticed the campaign on Facebook and offered Gouache shelf space at its Greenbelt store.

“As word spread, we started joining trade fairs, bazaars, and pop-ups. We grew a loyal community who resonated with our locally made, artisanal but modern approach,” says Marita Ann. 

Gouache has carved a niche by specializing in waxed canvas products—a craft that few brands pursue. The company’s dedication to detail and quality echoes Japanese craftsmanship, where artisans focus on mastery and precision.

Beyond bags, Gouache now produces custom aprons and small accessories, many of which are made-to-order for local cafés and restaurants.

“More people are getting curious about the material because they like the look and texture of the items,” says Marita Ann. “It’s up to us as a brand to update our designs and look for more opportunities to showcase our products.”

This year alone, the brand has joined major events like ArteFino, Purveyr Fair, and the HABI Fair. Last July, Gouache joined the Modern and Contemporary Art Festival (MoCAF) to explore a younger, design-conscious market. Marita Ann and Louie realized that younger people preferred contrasting colors and textures. 

In response, Gouache launched new collections that reflect the evolving taste of its market while maintaining its brand DNA and producing only small batches per style to ensure quality and exclusivity.

The husband-and-wife team remains hands-on in operations and marketing, personally responding to client inquiries and feedback on social media. Louie even models some of Gouache’s items on the website.

Suggestions from clients often dictate upcoming product features and design choices, which allow the owners to tweak and improve batches due for production.

Transparency defines the Goauache’s relationship with its customers. When a client requests a design the team cannot produce, they are upfront about it—and even go as far as referring the customer to another local bag maker.

Sustainability in Action

As part of its sustainability efforts, Gouache offers bag repair services to extend the life of each product and ensures that all goods are locally produced.

It supports local supply chains and artisans. Seventeen full-time employees produce between 500 to 1,000 pieces monthly, with production peaking during the holiday season due to corporate orders.

Business is split evenly between retail and wholesale, with many companies ordering Gouache products as part of their media kits or corporate gifts.

Collaboration Over Competition

Gouache currently operates a showroom and workshop in Marikina—a creative space that also serves as a hub for community engagement. The company has expanded into B2B and corporate gifting, creating new opportunities and establishing a more stable revenue stream.

Working alongside the makers of their wax-covered goods, Louie and Marita Ann continue to explore new techniques, materials, and production methods. They don’t see other bag makers not as competitors but as collaborators. They see collaboration as a way to push creativity and elevate the entire local industry.

Managing cash flow has been one of the founders’ biggest learning curves. Income from seasonal sales and the large upfront cost of raw materials have been particularly challenging. Over time, they’ve learned to manage expenses and operations more effectively to ensure long-term sustainability.

They’ve also learned to adapt to the shifting retail landscape and to adjust to the difficulties brought about by the pandemic. “Flexibility is key,” says Marita Ann.

From a single broken camera bag to a proudly homegrown brand, Gouache has grown through creativity, craftsmanship, and collaboration. Its journey reflects how purpose-driven design and authenticity can transform simple ideas into a growing business that drives meaningful impact.

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