While Taiwan in the world is recognized primarily as a technological depth, one small company from the rural part of the island tries to return the gloss long forgotten part of his agricultural heritage – a banana plant.
Nelson Yang, Former of Farm to Material, has developed an innovative process that uses residues of the banana plant to produce sustainable textiles. His goal? Create solutions for the fashion industry to be friendly and useful for local communities at the same time.
The company uses a banana pseudostal – a part of a plant that is usually rejected after harvesting fruits. This excess is processed into fibers, which are then used to make yarn. This yarn can be combined with a cotton for the production of socks or process in vegan skin.
Yang says the idea was created in 2008. years, when European sports footwear brands started looking for materials that could be produced in parallel with food – from the same land.
“We are literally working on that concept. All we use comes from the residue of the agriculture or the food industry,” Yang explains.
Although the project is still in the early stage and without large commercial orders, the interest of experts has not been absent.
According to Charlotte Chiang from the Taiwanese Textile Federation, banana fibers have a number of advantages in relation to conventional cotton – consuming less water, better absorb moisture and ensure a stable supply.
The reminters are working, Taiwan was also known for the 20th century as the “Kingdom of Banana”, but the agriculture fell into the shadow over time, all the more powerful technological industry.
With projects like this, natural resources appear to be able to become an important trump country again.
(Vijesti.ba)
