Polyester and textiles producer Far Eastern New Century Corp (FENC, 遠東新世紀) has developed a bio-based material derived from sugarcane bagasse that can be used in the production of masks.
The firm would team up with major domestic mask makers to use the material for making medium and high-end masks, FENC told the Central News Agency.
While the quality of bio-based fibers and petroleum-based synthetic fibers are similar, biodegradable materials are gentler on the skin and have good water absorption, the company said.
Photo: Tung Chen-kuo, Taipei Times
The use of bio-based materials not only reduces reliance on petroleum-based materials in production, but also reduces carbon emissions by up to 60 percent, the firm said.
Bio-based fibers cost about US$3 per kilogram — about three times that of petroleum-based alternatives, FENC said.
Despite the price, some of the firm’s customers in Japan and Europe have expressed an interest in the materials, a senior firm executive said on condition of anonymity.
The bio-based fibers can also be used to produce products such as diapers and alcohol wipes, the executive said.
FENC is a prominent supplier of raw materials to mask producers around the world. Last year, it supplied one-seventh of the world’s total materials for mask production.
The firm’s biodegradable unwoven fibers include a green polyethylene made out of sugarcane ethanol.
Taiwanese firms have tirelessly developed sustainable solutions to preserve the environment, said Steven Chen (陳世中), head of the Taiwan Nonwoven Fabrics Industry Association (臺灣不織布工業公會).
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