is there a manila paper?

A visitor who had coffee with me at this blog jokingly asked me, in relation to a post I made on the Manila Envelope as Macbook Air’s container if a Manila Paper also exists. And yes, just like the Manila envelope which was made of Manila hemp or abaca, Manila paper also exists and it is made of, guess what, the same material.

I was laughing why it took me so long to answer that question when the manila paper is a very common art and classroom material that is used in Philippine schools from pre-school to college. We use it to draw our artworks, write our school presentations and even to wrap our gifts.

The Manila paper is color beige, slightly yellow. It is a very inexpensive writing and presentation material that it is even used in office presentations.

why is it a manila envelope?

The Manila envelope is in the limelight once again thanks to Macbook Air's advertisements promoting the Manila envelope as the appropriate, snotty and trendy container for the world's slimmest laptop.

So what's the fuss about the Manila envelope? It's actually a reference to the Manila folder which were originally made of abaca or what they call Manila hemp. Abaca is a fiber commonly found in the Philippines. Manila is the capital of the Philippines and local entrepreneurs should be cashing in on Macbook's popularity by producing what else, but Manila envelopes that are indeed as sturdy as the ones being sold by Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans for $29.95 or roughly P1,200.

Imagine, a Manila envelope for P1,200? It’s a crazy world!