Innovative Taiwanese businessman aims to produce garments using banana fabric
In the rural belt of Changhua, Taiwan, entrepreneur Nelson Yang is making waves in the textile industry with his innovative company, Farm to Material. Yang's vision is to produce materials in parallel with food, creating a sustainable solution that could revolutionise the industry.
Yang's company uses leftovers from agriculture and the food industry to create usable materials. The focus of his efforts is on banana fiber, a promising material for future applications, according to Charlotte Chiang, director of the innovation and sustainable design department at the Taiwan Textile Federation.
Banana plants are still widely grown on Taiwan, a country that once branded itself as the 'banana kingdom' in the 1960s to boost exports. Under Japanese colonial rule from 1895-1945, Taiwan was known for its fruit, particularly pineapples and bananas. However, the tech industry has since overshadowed this label.
Chiang suggests that banana fiber could become a new highlight for Taiwan in the field of biomass fiber in the textile industry. She states that banana fiber performs better than regular cotton in terms of water consumption, absorbency, and supply stability.
Yang's company uses the middle section of the banana plant, known as the pseudostem, to produce fibers for clothing. These fibers can be blended with cotton for socks, and even turned into vegan leather, making them versatile for various applications in the textile industry.
However, as of the current state, Yang's company has no orders from apparel companies. Major sports shoe brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma, Reebok, New Balance, and Under Armour have not made any known offers for textiles made from banana fiber. There is no public record of their engagement with this specific material.
Despite this, the potential for banana fiber in the textile industry is not lost on everyone. In 2008, European sneaker brands expressed interest in finding a way to produce food and materials in parallel. If Yang's vision becomes a reality, it could mark a significant step forward in sustainability for the global textile industry.
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