RP tropical fabrics to save government millions of dollars in imports

Substituting imported yarns and fabrics with Philippine developed tropical fabrics would not only generate millions of jobs for Filipinos but can also save some millions of dollars in textile imports, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said.

Based on a recent feasibility study by the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) of the DOST, substituting imported textile yarns and fabrics with 25 percent Philippine tropical fabrics would save the nation $20.3 million, or an import reduction of over P1 billion annually.

The PTRI said the local textile industry could easily make use of the cheaper yet durable and beautiful fabrics made from abaca, banana and pineapple.

It noted that the country has 127,258 hectares of abaca plantations, 414,510 hectares of banana and 47,517 hectares of pineapple plantations nationwide.

The study showed that local plantations produce 136.7 metric tons of pineapple fiber, 104. 5 metric tons of banana and 76.11 metric tons of abaca fiber per year.

The PTRI has estimated capital investments of P50.7 million for pineapple fiber, P64.86 million for banana and P86.65 million for abaca.

PTRI Director Carlos Tomboc pointed out that the country requires considerable manpower to match the local textile production demand.

A single textile mill alone needs at least 2,900 laborers, the PTRI said.

According to Tomboc, the PTRI has been helping industries to develop indigenous fibers such as banana, pineapple and abaca into competitive fabrics.

He said the tropical fabric technologies were used to modify the raw fiber properties to cater to the processing requirement of textiles.

The PTRI said indigenous fibers like abaca, banana and pineapple have to undergo treatment or "degumming" after extraction of the fibers due to their inherent hardness and high non-fibrous content.

The PTRI applies a series of chemical and mechanical treatments on the fibers.

The technology imparts an "optimum balance" of fiber properties such as gum content, fineness, strength and inter-fiber cohesion.

"The fibers, once treated with optimum pre-treatment condition, are spun separately in blend with other textile fibers into medium coarse yarns of acceptable properties," the PTRI said.

Tomboc said the PTRI was directed to provide tropical fabrics for the uniforms of the 1.4 million government employees after President Arroyo signed Republic Act 9242 in 2004.

RA 9242 prescribes "the use of Philippine tropical fabrics for uniforms of public officials and employees and for other purposes."

Many countries have reportedly expressed interest in the unique Philippine technology and had sought to forge agreements with the government to copy it.