Entrepreneur in Taiwan plans to manufacture garments from banana plant fibers
In the heart of the Changhua rural belt in Taiwan, entrepreneur Nelson Yang is revolutionising the textiles industry with his innovative venture, Yang's Farm to Material. The company, based in a region once known as the 'banana republic,' sources all its materials from food waste and leftovers from agriculture and the food industry.
Yang's groundbreaking idea is to transform banana fibres into textiles, with the aim of supplying global sneaker brands. This unique process, which involves crushing and drying banana fibres, was not previously documented.
Banana fibre, it turns out, is more water-efficient, absorbent, and stable in supply compared to regular cotton, according to Charlotte Chiang, director of the innovation and sustainable design department at the Taiwan Textile Federation. This sustainable alternative has the potential to become a significant highlight in the biomass fibre sector of the textiles industry.
Chiang, who recently co-directed the feature film 'SHE CHEF' with Gereon Wetzel, believes that banana fibre could become a new highlight for Taiwan in the field of biomass fibre in the textiles industry.
The middle section of banana plants, known as pseudostems, are being used to produce fibres for clothing. These fibres can be turned into yarn for socks and vegan leather, offering a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional materials.
However, Yang's Farm to Material is still in its infancy, with no orders from apparel companies as of now. This innovative venture echoes the sentiments of European sneaker brands from 2008, who expressed interest in finding ways to produce food and materials in parallel.
Taiwan's history with bananas dates back to the 1960s, when it branded itself as the 'banana republic' to boost fruit exports. However, these exports have since been overshadowed by the tech industry. With Yang's Farm to Material, Taiwan may once again find itself at the forefront of a new revolution in the textiles industry.
As the world's dominant producer of advanced semiconductors, Taiwan continues to lead in the tech industry. With the introduction of sustainable textiles like those produced by Yang's Farm to Material, it seems that Taiwan is poised to make a similar impact in the textiles sector.
