Tropical fiber fabrics seeking entrepreneurs

A fashion show at a hotel in Makati City, Philippines, demonstrated that fabrics made of fruit and vegetable fibers can be beautiful. The Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) showcased 40 designs, all made from tropical fibers including banana, pineapple, saluyot, maguey and water hyacinth. The fibers have been incorporated into uniforms for government employees. The newest renewable fibers are “not prickly as the earlier, primitive versions used to be,” says PTRI director Carlos Tomboc. “They have a softer drape and are no longer stiff, so they can easily comply with any design. Washing is easier, too.” The PTRI wants investors and entrepreneurs to find applications for the Philippine fibers. “We want to create the demand because there is no problem in the supply side,” says Tomboc.