Entrepreneur Nelson Yang is reaching back into Taiwan's history to turn the humble banana plant into an unlikely sustainable textile. Taiwan is now the world's dominant producer of advanced semiconductors but the yellow fruit, still widely grown on the island, was once a source of patriotic pride.
Yang's Farm to Material, headquartered in the central Changhua rural belt, is turning banana fibre into textiles he hopes will one day supply global sneaker brands.
"Back in 2008, European (sneaker) brands told us that they were hoping to find a way for food and materials to be produced in parallel, meaning that food and materials are yielded from the same land," he told Reuters.
"So we've been working based on that concept. What we're doing now is making sure that all our material sources come from food or leftovers from agriculture or the food industry. We then transform those leftovers into usable materials."
Under Japanese colonial rule from 1895-1945, Taiwan was renowned for its fruit, especially pineapples and bananas, and in the 1960s, the island branded itself the "banana kingdom" to boost exports, now long since overtaken by the tech industry.
Yang's company takes the middle section of the banana plant, known as the pseudostem and normally abandoned in the field after harvest, then crushes and dries it to produce the fibres that can make clothing.
Some of the fibres are turned into yarn that can be blended with cotton for socks and can also be turned into vegan leather.
The business is still in its infancy with no orders from apparel companies.
"Banana fibre actually performs better than regular cotton in terms of water consumption, absorbency, and supply stability, making it highly promising for future applications," said Charlotte Chiang, director of the innovation and sustainable design department at the Taiwan Textile Federation.
"Banana fibre could become a new highlight for Taiwan in the field of biomass fibre in the textiles industry."
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The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the longtime allies ahead of Armenia's parliamentary election on 7 June.
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 30 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
European companies are continuing to deepen their presence in China, with nearly seven in ten firms maintaining or expanding their supply chains despite global efforts to diversify, according to a new survey by the EU Chamber of Commerce.
BP has removed its chair, Albert Manifold, with immediate effect, citing concerns over governance and conduct. The company said its board had unanimously decided that Manifold should no longer serve as chair or director.
The dual-class share structure outlined in SpaceX’s initial public offering (IPO) filing, which gives chief executive Elon Musk outsized control, has reignited one of Wall Street’s longest-running debates over corporate governance.
Kevin Warsh will be sworn in as chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve on Friday as policymakers consider higher interest rates to tackle inflation linked to the Trump administration’s Iran policy.
A government-mediated agreement has suspended an 18-day walkout by about 48,000 Samsung union members, easing fears of damage to South Korea's economy and global chip supply.
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