Eco-friendly textiles put industry under spotlight

Taiwan's textile industry may have been declining over the past few years, but it has not lost its edge as visitors concluded during one of the largest sector fairs in Asia. Despite the present global economic downturn, the island's manufacturers managed to attract the attention with their innovative specialty fabrics. Taiwan successfully showcased the island's transition from a producer of functional textiles to fashionable organic products, which were the highlights of the fair together with fabrics made from recycled materials, for which the nation's producers are also renowned. Taiwan Journal contributor Manik Mehta reports from the fair.






The ongoing financial meltdown has certainly left its ugly scars on a number of industries around the world, including the textile industry, but many Taiwan-based companies are confident that they can convert the challenges facing them into opportunities.

This was evident at the recent Interstoff Asia Essential Autumn fair, held in Hong Kong from Oct. 8 to 10, which the organizing Hong Kong-based Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. touts as the "home of cutting-edge textiles."

In keeping with the current trends, the 13 exhibitors from Taiwan--11 of them had participated under the aegis of the Taiwan Textile Federation, the Taipei-based industry association--played up their strong attributes as suppliers of organic, eco-friendly and functional fabrics and deployed the show as a prime marketing platform. They attracted envious looks, particularly from mainland participants who had gathered at the event not only to sell their products but also to get a closer look at what competing countries were offering in terms of designs, materials and manufacturing technology.

In Taiwan, the textile industry dates back almost 60 years and has made a major contribution to the island's economy. It still has the reputation for producing good quality textiles, even though, for the past few years the industry has been declining because of ongoing low-cost competition, mostly from mainland China and India.

Nevertheless, Taiwan has managed to keep its edge by manufacturing functional textiles, such as quick-dry or anti-bacterial fabrics. Nowadays the nation is still one of the largest producers of manmade fibers in the world, with total exports reaching US$8.58 billion last year.

The downturn of the global economy was hotly debated during the three-day event, with many Asian suppliers wondering how much the situation will affect their shipments.

The TTF Secretary-General Justin Huang said that the immediate response to the crisis would be a "moderation in consumption" and that people would expect their clothes to last longer. "It means consumers will be more focused on quality and longevity, as it's already happening, for example, in Scandinavia," Huang explained during an interview with the Taiwan Journal.

However, he rejected the doomsday prediction, taking a long-term optimistic view of the effect on the island. "For Taiwan's manufacturers, this spells opportunities because of their innovations in product durability. Chemical fibers already have this property. Let's also not forget that Taiwan is renowned for the quality of its products," he said.

Huang pointed out that Taiwan has been focusing on functional fabrics but need now to concentrate more on marketing by working on designs and colors. According to the TTF secretary-general, the island's textiles already enjoy international reputation.

"Buyers are always looking for reliable sources. Taiwan's forte lies in its technology, which even South Koreans acknowledge is better than their own. Also, our products are cheaper than Japan's." Huang also pointed out that with the current trend for functional and recycled products, more and more designers will become interested in their fabrics. "Stella McCartney, the famous stylist, collaborated with Adidas on manufacturing functional textiles which were made in Taiwan," he pointed out.

Just as organic food has become part of today's culinary culture, organic garments and fabrics will become part of the clothing culture. The emphasis on preserving and protecting the environment has become an overriding principle worldwide.

"Taiwan's manufacturers have established joint ventures with foreign companies to produce fabrics using recycled materials. We even make functional recycled polyester. Recycled textiles, though, are generally more expensive because of the intricate manufacturing process," Huang argued.

A total of 199 exhibitors from 11 countries participated in this year's fair and offered medium to high-end products, but many of them were no longer focusing on the usual Western markets. "We discern a gradual shift in the global textile trade. ... Suppliers are no longer just concentrating on the traditional markets in the West. They are also looking at markets in Asia, notably mainland China. Taiwanese companies are well positioned to foray into the mainland with their innovative and good quality products, considering that many consumers there are now cash-rich and are in a position to buy upper-end goods," explained Detlev Braun, managing director of Messe Frankfurt GmbH, the fair organizer.

As a niche event, which brings together suppliers and buyers of the most cutting-edge textiles available in the global marketplace, Interstoff Asia provided a show window for fabrics made from eco-friendly materials, whose manufacturing process has minimum impact on the environment. Taiwanese exhibitors also showcased fabrics which have a multifunctional purpose or offer a range of properties, such as UV-protection, that add to their intrinsic value.

Taiwan's focus on functional, fashionable and green textiles also conformed to the three attributes emphasized by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. According to Wendy Wen, the director of the fair, this should attract more clothing designers in the future. "We have introduced the so-called 'silver label' which is a full-fledged certification of eco-friendly products. The Austrian manufacturer Lenzing is the only one so far to have the 'silver label' certification for its products. We also have the 'green label' which is a certification for partial environmentally friendly products," she explained.

Yitzac Goldstein, director of development and production at the Dalian-based Texorganix in mainland China, was euphoric about the future of organic textiles, adding that Taiwan, as a pioneer in the field, had a good opportunity to tap into the mainland market where consumers are becoming increasingly interested in this kind of fabrics.

"Judging from what I see here at Taiwanese booths, I believe the island's manufacturers are on the right track as far as current and future trends go," Goldstein commented.

Although many exhibitors at the fair expressed fears of a global recession, others considered the show as an essential platform to find new customers, in particular during such difficult times. Taiwan-based A & A Textile was participating again in the Hong Kong event after a lapse of several years. The company, which produces an impressive array of denim fabrics with a wide range of pattern designs, manufactures two million yards of fabric each month and sources cotton from the United States and Turkey, as well as Tencel? a biodegradable fabric made from wood pulp cellulose, from Austria.

"The global market trends presently suggest a slowdown in consumption and our exports have been slightly affected by the ongoing financial crisis. However, we have received a large number of business inquiries at this show, although the volume of orders is low," said Judy Chen, A & A's marketing manager, who pointed out that there were also difficulties in dealing with some buyers because banks have become very cautious in extending credits.

According to Chen, backed by "years of research and production of green textiles," Taiwan is well positioned to penetrate the world markets with its Tencel?and eco-friendly denim which are very much in vogue. "These items are quite popular at other shows as well. We also noticed a trend toward lightweight materials, with customers increasingly looking for comfort," she said.

Another Taiwanese manufacturer, Universal Textile Co. Ltd., also returned to the trade show after a long time. The company, which has a yarn factory and two weaving mills in the Taipei area with a total annual turnover of US$80 million, was exhibiting suiting and functional fabrics. "I received business enquiries from Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe at this show. Taiwan functional fabrics are mostly recycled from polyester. Formerly, manufacturers were not interested in recycling but more and more are going for it because of the growing consciousness for environmental protection. I am convinced that this kind of textiles will be increasingly used in fashion. ... I think Europe will become a strong market for these products," said Byron Chen, Universal Textile's assistant manager.

A spokesman of the Taiwan Export Processing Zone Garment Industry Association from Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, said that some of the island's leading manufacturers, such as Far Eastern Textile Ltd., Formosa Taffeta Co. Ltd., Tai Yuen Textile Co. and Eclat Textile Co. Ltd., were adapting to comfort and eco-friendliness because textile buyers and consumers were attaching increasing importance to these factors.

"Despite the seemingly somber economic picture ahead of us, we still see opportunity for Taiwan's textile industry. The sector is characterized by change and innovation, which will enable the industry to survive the downturn and then emerge as strong and prosperous," declared the TTF secretary-general.

Taiwan suppliers are also trying to differentiate themselves from their foreign competitors by emphasizing their "efficient flexibility" reflected in their endeavors to improve their position in global competition by providing so-called "total solutions" and establishing partnership and supply-chain relations with buyers.

This differentiation lends Taiwan a cutting-edge advantage because it has helped the island's manufacturers create a niche segment with value-added attributes backed by extensive R&D efforts that not only keep sight of the market trends but also concentrate on cutting costs, the benefits of which are passed down to the buyers and end consumers.