Weaving heritage with innovation: How Get Spotted grew through purpose and digital transformation

At its core, Get Spotted remains deeply Filipino. 

Get Spotted works with the weaving community in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, where traditional hablon fabrics are produced. 

Supporting the weavers and their time-honored techniques helps ensure that these cultural practices continue to thrive. Every garment is 100% locally made and sewn by Filipino seamstresses, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to ethical production and community empowerment. This strong sense of purpose has also attracted several collaborators. 

“Supporting local weavers and preserving the traditional techniques are really central to our mission. We do not mass-produce pieces. We create intentionally, ensuring fair wages and sustainable practices all throughout the production chain,” Emgee Po, Co-founder of Get Spotted, told adobo Magazine in an exclusive interview. 

Looking ahead, Emgee aspires to work with a national artist. The vision is simple yet powerful: to make art more accessible, allowing people to own and experience it in everyday life.

Blending heritage with contemporary flair

In an industry often driven by trends and mass production, Get Spotted stands out by conceptualizing designs in-house, with storytelling as a central pillar. Each piece reflects elements of Filipino culture — from traditional garments to everyday symbols like jeepneys, festivals, and local landscapes. Sustainability is not just a buzzword for the brand — it is a guiding principle. 

The brand actively collaborates with local artists, craftsmen, and weavers to bring these Filipino narratives to life. 

Ultimately, the inspiration behind Get Spotted comes from a simple observation: while many cultures wear their traditional attire daily, Filipino garments are often reserved for special occasions.

Through every collection, Get Spotted shows that heritage is not static. It evolves, adapts, and finds new life in contemporary spaces. By blending culture with creativity, it preserves identity, empowers communities, and brings Filipino artistry to a wider audience. 

For Emgee, this is deeply personal: building a brand is not just about growth, but about uplifting the same communities that inspire it. 

International pop-ups in cities like Paris and New York introduced Filipino design to a global audience. In one instance, a week-long event in New York sold out within three days, driven by strong support from the Filipino community and growing interest from international buyers.

View this post on Instagram

At the same time, innovation remains a priority. Expanding digital capabilities and exploring new financial tools continue to shape the business as it evolves. 

Part of Get Spotted’s growth has been powered by a platform that streamlines daily operations — GCash for Business. With its support at every step, the team has been able to focus on other important aspects of the business, such as design and production.

What began as a small, cash-based operation has grown into a brand that seamlessly blends tradition with technology. 

From cash-only to digital-first 

When the business launched in 2011, every transaction was manual. 

Operations were entirely cash-based. Recording daily sales and checking the data added to the workload. This system, while common at the time, came with challenges. 

“Managing cash that time, early years of 2011, required tight monitoring and physical bank visits, which added operational pressure on our part, especially on a very, very busy season,” Emgee said. 

Operating on a purely cash basis also revealed deeper inefficiencies. The risk of human error in counting, delays due to the lack of smaller denominations for physical change, and the inability to accommodate customers who preferred digital payments all slowed down the business. 

Manual sales tracking made it difficult to gain real-time visibility into performance. While manageable in the early days, it became increasingly unsustainable as the business expanded. 

As consumer behavior shifted toward cashless transactions, the need for a more efficient system became clear. Adopting the GCash for Business Portal and GCash SoundPay marked a turning point. The transition wasn’t just about convenience — it was about modernization.

“GCash for Business tools like GCash SoundPay allowed us to modernize our payment system while maintaining professionalism and efficiency in-store,” Emgee said.

With digital payments, transactions became instant. They reduced long queues and eliminated the need to prepare physical change.

GCash SoundPay, in particular, added a layer of confidence. 

“GCash SoundPay is especially helpful because it provides real-time audio confirmation of received payments. This minimizes errors and gives both staff and customers confidence that the transaction is successful,” explained Emgee.

Quick and seamless transactions 

The impact was immediate. Daily operations became faster, more organized, and less stressful for both the team and customers. 

“GCash for Business significantly improves the speed and ease of the pipelines. Payments were processed instantly, which eliminates long queues and the need for me and my team to prepare physical change,” Emgee said. 

Digital payments have also enabled the brand to scale more efficiently. Whether during large pop-ups, the holiday rush, or international events, the team can handle a high volume of transactions without operational bottlenecks. 

Automated transaction records in the GCash for Business Portal, on the other hand, improved financial tracking, while the ability to separate personal and business accounts brought clarity and control. What once required hours of manual effort could now be managed with just a few clicks. 

More importantly, the shift allowed the business to focus on what truly mattered: product development, customer experience, and growth. 

This adaptability positioned the brand as both modern and reliable — qualities essential for long-term sustainability. But beyond the systems and strategies, Get Spotted’s success lies in something more enduring: a commitment to telling Filipino stories — one garment, one artisan, and one innovation at a time. 

If you are a business owner looking to scale up, signing up on the GCash for Business Portal is as easy as 1-2-3!
1. Wait for your email confirmation on your GCash SoundPay delivery.
2. Create an account on the GCash for Business Portal at https://business.gcash.com/. You can get started as a merchant using just your verified GCash account of at least 12 months to qualify for a Starter Plan.
3. Order a GCash SoundPay device.

The post Weaving heritage with innovation: How Get Spotted grew through purpose and digital transformation appeared first on adobo Magazine Online.