Firm makes ecofriendly fabric from banana tree waste

Firm makes ecofriendly fabric from banana tree waste

2025-09-30

Taiwanese love to eat bananas, but the harvest leaves behind carpets of discarded stems and leaves, and a headache for farmers. One biotech company headquartered in Changhua has a solution. They developed a method of making textiles from a part of the banana plant called the pseudostem. Turning piles of pseudostems into fabric can help farmers while also creating a brand-new business opportunity.

Taiwan is known as a kingdom of bananas. But after harvest, tons of leaves and stems often lie discarded in the field, leaving lots of waste behind.

One company in Changhua found a way to turn this trash into treasure. They take all the so-called pseudostems discarded after harvest and turn them into fibers for making clothing.

Nelson Yang
Company founder
Back in 2008, a European brand told us they were hoping to find a way to produce food and materials in parallel with one another.

Through a process of crushing, steaming, fermenting, and bleaching, the company can make fibers out of banana pseudostems, which can be spun into threads or processed into plant-based leather.

Charlotte Chiang
Taiwan Textile Federation representative
Banana fiber is better than regular cotton in terms of water consumption, absorbency, and supply stability, making it extremely promising for future applications.

Fabric made from bananas feels like linen, but it’s more absorbent and with strong thermal insulation, making it especially suitable for socks. In the future, they hope to produce all-natural, biodegradable shoes for major global manufacturers.

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變廢為寶! 生技公司開發新技術香蕉假莖製成紡織纖維

2025-09-30

台灣人愛吃香蕉，但香蕉採收後，往往留下一地莖葉，造成農民困擾。彰化有一家生物材料公司，開發出一種將香蕉假莖，大量製作成紡織纖維的技術，不只解決農民困擾，也開發新商機。

台灣是香蕉大國，但香蕉採收後，剩下的枝葉往往被棄置在田裡，產生大量農廢。

彰化這家生物材料公司，成功化廢為寶。把滿地香蕉假莖收集起來，做成紡織材料。

[[生物材料公司創辦人楊富翔]]
“他們2008年，其實歐洲的品牌就跟我們說，他們希望有沒有一種食物跟材料，是在一個平行空間產生”

透過擠壓、蒸煮、發酵、漂白等一系列技術，這家公司提取香蕉假莖內的纖維，紡成紗或做成植物性皮革。

[[紡拓會創新與永續設計處處長江夏碧]]
“香蕉纖維在耗水量、吸水性，還有供應穩定性，都優於一般的棉花，未來應用潛力大”

香蕉製成的布匹，摸起來像麻料，不過吸水性高、隔溫性強，特別適合製作襪子。未來還有機會製作純天然，可分解的鞋子，供應世界大廠。

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At this year’s International Exhibition for Young Inventors, three elementary schoolers from Yilan entered into the “convenience” category for inventors under 14 with their “creative multifunctional bottle.” Among its eight different functions, it resists tipping, as well as tracks water intake and controls the temperature. With their invention, the young makers hope to make it easier and safer to drink more water.

This may look like an ordinary water bottle, but aside from keeping drinks hot or cold, it can also control the temperature. It also has a stabilizing design to prevent tipping, and even keeps track of how much is inside for a total of eight different functions.

Three third-graders from Yilan Elementary entered the 2025 International Exhibition for Young Inventors held last month in Osaka with this “creative multifunctional bottle.” It stood out in their category of “convenience” items invented by children under 14. But looking back on the process, they recalled quite a few challenges.

Pan Hao-ching
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We really spent a lot of time drawing these blueprints. And before the competition, since we had to print a lot of things, we kept the 3D printer going for 20 or 30 hours straight.

Despite their young age, they also have no problem introducing the product in fluent English. But the lengthy English description also gave them no small amount of trouble.

Chen Yen-hsin
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We had to memorize a long English passage. We also had to memorize the Q&A.

Lin Chih-han
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The English description is super long, and it also uses some rare vocab.

Yang Hsien-chin
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When answering questions from the judges, they had to understand the questions and give accurate responses. This was the harder part, testing the children’s ability to adapt.

Young inventors from 15 different countries participated in this year’s competition. Taiwan delivered an outstanding performance overall, winning eight gold medals—the most of any country.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Foreign Minister Lin the first to formally represent Taiwan at Warsaw Security Forum

For the first time ever, a Taiwanese foreign minister has delivered a key note speech at the Warsaw Security Forum, the most influential forum in Central and Eastern Europe., showing Taiwanese diplomacy is making inroads in Europe. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Taiwan and Europe shared a threat from authoritarian regimes like China and Russia and called for cooperation, saying Taiwan could help Europe to expand its industrial capabilities through leveraging the island’s strengths in the semiconductor and electronics industries.

The host introduces Lin Chia-lung on the stage as “Minister of Foreign Affairs from Taiwan.” Lin had just visited Austria in mid-September, a first for a high-ranking Taiwanese official. Now, in another new breakthrough, he was invited to speak at the Warsaw Security Forum, which is organized by a Polish foundation, in his capacity as foreign minister.

Lin Chia-lung
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As an indispensable member of the international community, Taiwan is a reliable partner that plays a vital role in enhancing resilience in trusted global supply chains.

His speech was centered around rebuilding global democratic supply chains. Lin pointed out directly that China, Russia, Iran and North Korea have formed an "axis of instability," challenging the international order.

Lin Chia-lung
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China is largely seen as the decisive enabler behind Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As a result, democracies around the world must act in concert to counter the existential and systemic threat.

He also warned that just as Europe faces the threat of "hybrid warfare" from Russia targeting critical infrastructure, Taiwan faces similar challenges from China.

Lin Chia-lung
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China continues to employ gray zone tactics, cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns and military exercises in an attempt to undermine people’s trust in the government.

Lin emphasized that precisely because Taiwan and Europe face the same authoritarian threat, they should join hands and work together. Taiwan can help Europe expand its industrial strength and innovative capabilities.

Lin Chia-lung
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It is high time for Europe to stand with Taiwan to forge a robust coalition for our shared values and halt expansion of authoritarian regimes. Taiwan is ready to work with Europe.

The Warsaw Security Forum is currently the most influential security and foreign policy dialogue platform in Central and Eastern Europe. It is also an annual security event for Europe in general. It was the first time for Taiwan’s foreign minister to speak at the forum. In addition, on the event’s official website, Lin was described as a speaker who is the “Minister of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan” showing the inroads Taiwan is making in European diplomacy.

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For the 41st consecutive year, students from Ming Chuan University have been chosen to serve as ushers for Taiwan’s National Day celebrations. This year’s team features 15 students who spent months honing their skills through intensive training. Beyond their professionalism and warm hospitality, a few of the ushers have drawn attention for their striking resemblance to celebrities and sport stars—including Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani. FTV reporter Stephany Yang has the story!

Dressed in red qipaos and suits paired with blue ties, The National Day ushers from Ming Chuan University made their official debut with a dazzling dance performance.

They also introduced themselves fluently in English, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese, and demonstrated how to guide guests in case of emergencies. The members include several celebrity lookalikes. Male team leader Feng Jen-yuan, who stands at 188 cm and has a radiant smile, is said to resemble Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani. Another member, Cheng Yung-an, has been said to bear a resemblance to South Korean actor Ji Chang-wook.

Feng Jen-yuan
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Last year, I was honored to be told I resemble Mr. Shohei Ohtani. Over the past year, I’ve embraced his spirit of discipline and unwavering dedication. For this year’s National Day ceremony, I hope to bring warmth and exceptional service to the distinguished officials and guests.

Cheng Yung-an
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I am majoring in international business and trade program. The reason why I joined this club was because I saw these beautiful people and they all looked very professional and after training, they became very good at a lot of skills. For example, public speaking, posturing and even global etiquette. That is what attracted me to join this club. We are well-trained and we have weekly training. Our daily training basically includes everything.

National Day is soon approaching. This year, 15 talented students will take the stage at the official celebration, greeting distinguished guests with poise and warm smiles. The national day users have undergone rigorous training—from language skills and crisis response to etiquette and physical conditioning such as standing against a wall to correct posture. For Huang Hui-chen, who is participating as an usher for the first time, the experience has been challenging and rewarding.

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For 41 consecutive years, Ming Chuan University has taken part in the National Day celebration, showcasing Taiwan’s warmth and hospitality to the world.

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Contestant in viral game show volunteers in flood-stricken Guangfu

Many people all over the country have lent a helping hand to flood-stricken Guangfu Township in Hualien, by shoveling large amounts of leftover debris. Whether on their own or with a group, well-known or not, they’re all trying to do their bit in speeding up the township’s recovery.

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Li is pictured shoveling a thick layer of mud in a Guangfu home. He and his wife both volunteered to help clean up the flood-stricken neighborhood.

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