UKL collaborates Taiwan partners to transforming agricultural waste into various fashion goods, showcasing Taiwan’s green power.

Since its establishment in 1998, UKL has been dedicated to promoting a green supply chain as a nominated supplier for popular European and American brands such as Costco, Walmart, T.J. Maxx, and Roots. In response to corporate responsibility towards global climate change, Executive Vice President Gary Hsieh, a second-generation successor, is actively involved in the production of eco-friendly textiles. He has closely collaborated with domestic pineapple farms and a yarn spinning mill in Taiwan to successfully launch the Pineapple Leaves Fiber (PALF) brand, achieving the recycling of agricultural waste.

Promoting a New Trend of Eco-Friendly Textiles with Pineapple Leaf Fiber through collaboration with Taiwan textile mills

Taiwan is renowned for its functional textiles, and few experts in Textile have been working on PALF, as a new source of raw material and potential replacement of the synthetic fibre. PALF from UKL used the extracted fibers from pineapple leaves waste producing at the farms located in the south part of Taiwan, meant PALF represents a unique MIT fiber. PALF obtains several benefits, such as biodegradability, a pleasant hand feel, excellent breathability, high moisture absorption, and natural antibacterial properties. PALF fiber can be blended with natural or synthetic fibers and can also be made into thick, textured plant leather.

In February 2024, PALF received ISO 14067 certification, showing a carbon footprint of only 0.784 CO2e per kilogram of fiber, which is about one-tenth that of linen and one-quarter that of cotton. Furthermore, the water consumption required for producing pineapple leaf fiber is significantly reduced by 97%, demonstrating exceptional performance in water conservation and emissions reduction. Additionally, the biomass materials generated during the production process can be converted into fertilizers, forming a beneficial resource recycling cycle.

UKL Partners with Taiwanese Collaborators to Develop High-Value Fashion Lifestyle Products

Supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, UKL collaborates with various industry partners such as Danken, True East, TopTowel, Yee Chain, Junmay Label & Textile, HSII Tech, and Guangxing Paper Mill to develop a range of lifestyle products, including socks, towels, shoes, bags, and handmade paper. The product designs adhere to the circular economy principles. For example, PALF, made from agricultural waste, blends with cotton, biodegradable polyester to minimize environmental impact. Throughout the manufacturing process, the focus is on reducing waste, improving production efficiency, and extending product lifespan. This includes enhancing yarn strength while maintaining a soft feel through spinning and weaving techniques to produce 100% natural woven fabrics. The SHIMA SEIKI knitting machines and Danken’s customized socked knitting machines bring the advantages of reducing wastes and short lead time. For bag production, True East used computerized typesetting system and laser cutting technology in minimizing the usage of material. Junmay Label & Textile weaved the creative pattern designs into jacquard fabrics for trendy sneakers. And the waste generated during the spinning process is also recycled into handmade paper for PALF brand hang tags and product catalogs by Guangxing Paper Mill. All of those showcases the potential of sustainable design and Taiwan’s green innovation capabilities.

According to the statistics from the Council of Agriculture, Taiwan exported over 17,000 tons of pineapples in 2023, generating 1.4 tons of pineapple leaf waste for every ton of fruit produced. To promote the reuse of agricultural waste, Taiwanese companies are fully leveraging their innovative development capabilities and demonstrating a sustainable fashion future to the world through interdisciplinary collaborations.

Awards

IFDesign Award: iF Design – UKL PALF Pineapple Leaf Fabrics and Yarns

Sustainability Award: UKL Wins Sustainable Supply Chain Award | Sustainability Magazine

Reference:

PALF : https://www.ecopalf.com

UKL : https://ukl.com.tw/

Danken : https://web.danken.com.tw/

True East : http://www.trueeast.com/

TopTowel : http://www.toptowel.com.tw/

Yee Chain: https://www.yeechain.com/

Junmay Label & Textile : https://www.junmay.com/en

HSII Tech : https://www.hsiitech.com.tw/

Guangxing Paper Mill: https://www.taiwanpaper.net/