《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Textile industry weaving its way through Taiwan

By Camaron Kao / Staff reporter

Two US-based outdoor brands are mulling setting up procurement divisions in Taiwan, eyeing the nation’s complete textile supply chain and the ability to make functional products, the Taiwan Textile Federation said yesterday.

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Of the two firms, one is a company of large sales volume, while the other is a brand selling high-price products, federation secretary-general Justin Huang （黃偉基） told reporters at the Taipei Innovative Textile Application Show.

According to Huang, the two companies already have procurement offices in Hong Kong and the Hong Kong government allows them to pay a low income tax rate of 8.5 percent, instead of the 17 percent rate prescribed in its law.

The federation would help the two companies to negotiate with the government, Huang said.

“Global brands can find all the products they need in Taiwan, and Taiwanese companies have the ability to deliver their products on time,” he said. “Taiwan has become a sourcing hub for global brands.”

South Korea’s Youngone Corp, which manufactures and distributes outdoor apparel, recently set up an office in Taipei, Huang said.

Youngone, a company with 70,000 employees worldwide, has business relationships with Nan Ya Plastics Corp （南亞塑膠）, the nation’s largest plastics maker, Shinkong Synthetic Fibers Corp （新光合成纖維）, which makes polyester fibers and plastics, Far Eastern New Century Corp （遠東新世紀）, which makes textile products, and Formosa Taffeta Co （福懋興業）, which makes nylon and polyester products, he said.

The South Korean company sent 30 people to the show this year to collect information, he said.

In related news, Singtex Industrial Co （興采）, which makes fabrics and yarns, yesterday launched its new Sefia yarns at the show, with the product likely to enter the supply chains of Victoria’s Secret and Wacoal because of its soft touch.

Sefia was codeveloped by Singtex and Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp （台灣化學纖維）, said Gene Hu （胡正中）, a Singtex director.

The yarns are made from waste coffee grounds and wood pulp, which makes yarns degradable, Hu said.

The material can absorb more water than cotton and can withstand machine washing, and it also has odor control properties provided by the coffee grounds, he said.

Singtex said it sold 50 tonnes of the yarns this year.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES