DOST-PTRI Champions Filipinnovation of Philippine Tropical Fabrics (PTF)

The Filipinnovation of Philippine Tropical Fabrics (PTF) was presented by DOST PTRI Director Dr. Julius L. Leaño Jr. during the launch of the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law’s (R.A. 9242) revised Implementing Rules and regulation last 30 August 2023. 

Photo 1. DOST-PTRI Director Dr. Julius L. Leaño, Jr. presenting the Filipinnovation of Philippine Tropical Fabrics during the launch of the PTF Law IRR on Aug. 30, 2023

Filipinnovation is the whole-of-government approach (WGA) to inclusive innovation, which will ensure policy coherence, alignment of priorities, and effective coordination in service delivery, as defined in a paper by former DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña in his paper Filipinnovation; Financing Science for the People.

The ability of the Philippines to channel its vast natural resources into the textile supply chain by converting agricultural by-products like pineapple leaf and banana pseudostems as natural textile fibers (NTF) provides a compelling narrative for inclusive and sustainable business models in different regions. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN FAO), the Philippines’ global banana export rankings in 2022 with a total export volume of 2.235 million metric tons. This is a slight difference from slipped from the second place, Guatemala (2.467 million metric tons). While the Philippines ranked 3rd in the world just behind Costa Rica and Indonesia, contributing 9.85% of the global requirement in 2021with 2.86 million tonnes (UN FAO). While the farm gate price of banana in the Philippines is at ~P13/kg, the farm gate price of banana textile fibers is P400/kg. Pineapples sell at ~P42/kg while the farm gate price could reach to about P450/kg. These provide an inviting proposition for farmers and producers to valorize their agricultural products thereby opening tremendous possibilities for added revenue streams. The DOST-PTRI technologies provide means to extract, process and channel these into the textile supply chain by producing textile fibers. Through the various natural textile fiber innovation hubs across the country this inclusive strategy seeks to benefit farmers and producers. While abaca production has declined in 2022 (54 K MT) compared to 2021 (59K MT) and as a fiber crop vulnerable to both climatic conditions and the bunchy and mosaic virus may still be channeled to the textile supply chain through the valorization of the over 270K MT of fibers left in the field due to mismatch of the existing stripping technology and the textile fiber requirement.

Photos 2 and 3. Some raw, treated, and opened fibers for natural textile fibers

Photo 4. Some yarns made from natural textile fibers

Complementing these textile fibers are the establishment of strategic Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Centers (RYPIC) in Miag-ao, Iloilo (2019), Ilagan, Isabela (2023) and Cotabato (2023) each with ~50kg per day capacity of NTF-blended yarn per 8h operation and as much as ~65kg per 8h operation for pure Philippine cotton. This bridges the gap in the regional transformation on these fibers into value-added products like NTF-blended yarns. One in full operation and diversified, the various cotton spinning facilities through the initiative of Senator Loren Legarda may also soon contribute to the production of NTF-blended yarns thereby increasing the local capacity. The DOST-PTRI’s Innovation Center for Yarns and Textiles also contributes around ~150 kg of NTF-blended yarns per day.

Photos 5 and 6. Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center (RYPIC) Miag-ao in Iloilo

Photos 7 and 8. Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center (RYPIC) Isabela

The weaving and textile finishing capability of the existing textile mills mostly in NCR and CALABARZON area completes the supply chain in the development of PTF.

DOST-PTRI’s SEDA Pilipinas program also provides for silk yarns, with silk being one of the identified NTFs. The development of bamboo textiles fibers (BTF) of DOST’s Bamboo Textile PH program also provide a robust source of additional option natural textile fiber. Bamboo yields almost 35% textile fiber over the 1-2% textile fiber yield from banana, abaca, or pineapple.

Photos 9 and 10. SEDA Pilipinas Brand and Silk wearables designed by BAYO

Photos 11 and 12. Bamboo fiber-to-yarn transformation and cotton-bamboo wearables woven by Indigenous Enabel Craft and designed by Avel Bacudio

The conversion of these PTF into unforms are an exciting albeit price sensitive proposition to small, medium, and large enterprises engaged in uniform manufacturing. Here the creative pool of talents infuses the visual, functional, and aesthetic requirement to rebrand government uniform. The one-day requirement of the 1.8M government employees would need ~ 5.4M meters of fabric.

The local development of PTF and the inclusion of NTF’s and its workability and applicability for career dress apparel is the subject of the battery of tests under PTRI/ Philippine National Standard 165:2005 which serves as the core of the science-based design in the certification. In keeping with its role to engage industry in the development and compliance of their output textiles to the PTF Law, testing fees will be DOST-PTRI’s counterpart in their PTF development efforts.

Photos 13. National Economic and Development Authority (Left) and House of Representatives (Right) Uniforms made from Philippine Tropical Fabrics

Since PTRI/PNS 165:2005 does not include the more stringent requirement of specialized professions in the civil service such as those in the health and defense, the DOST-PTRI as already commenced with its R&D. The development of Protective, Reengineered Occupational Technical Textiles (PROTex) was completed in 2022 whereby water-repellent and antimicrobial textiles for reuseable suits were developed from Bandala and Bamboo fibers. This year, the Camouflage, Optical, Mechanical, Ballistic, Armored textile R&D has commenced seeking to develop a local substitute for the battle dress uniform of the Armed Forces of the Philippines using Abaca, Bandala, and Bamboo fiber in blend with Philippine cotton. The PROTex project was funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Aquatic Resources R&D, while the COMBATex project is funded by the DOST-Grants In-Aid program monitored by the Philippine Council of Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology R&D.

Photos 14 and 15. Sample tests for PTF

The Launching of the Revised IRR in August 30, 2023 in the Quezon City was attended by Civil Service Commission Chair Karlo Alexi B. Nograles, Commissioners Atty. Aileen Lourdes A. Lizada and Atty. Ryan Alvon R. Acosta, DOST Assistant Secretary Diana L. Ignacio, DA Assistant Secretary and Philippine Fiber industry Development Authority Officer in-charge Atty. Genevieve E. Velicaria-Guevarra and the Department of Trade and Industry’s Competitiveness Bureau Director Lilian G. Salonga. The event was also graced by the industry partners including Asiatex’s Matthew Lazaro, Medtecs representatives, Unimoda’s Olive Ang, Philippine Fashion Coalition’s Carissa Cruz Evangelista and Michael Claparols.

Photo 16. (L-R) DA-PhilFIDA Assistant Secretary Atty. Genevieve E. Velicaria-Guevarra, DTI Competitiveness Bureau Director Lilian G. Salonga, CSC Commissioner Atty. Aileen Lourdes A. Lizada, CSC Chairperson Atty. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, CSC Commissioner Atty. Ryan Alvin R. Acosta, DOST Assistant Secretary Diana L. Ignacio, DOST-PTRI Director Dr. Julius L. Leaño, Jr., and CSC Assistant Commissioner Ariel G. Ronquillo during the launch of the PTF Law IRR on Aug. 30, 2023

The Launching of the Revised IRR in August 30, 2023 in the Quezon City was attended by Civil Service Commission Chair Karlo Alexi B. Nograles, Commissioners Atty. Aileen Lourdes A. Lizada and Atty. Ryan Alvon R. Acosta, DOST Assistant Secretary Diana L. Ignacio, DA Assistant Secretary and Philippine Fiber industry Development Authority Officer in-charge Atty. Genevieve E. Velicaria-Guevarra and the Department of Trade and Industry’s Competitiveness Bureau Director Lilian G. Salonga. The event was also graced by the industry partners including Asiatex’s Matthew Lazaro, Medtecs representatives, Unimoda’s Olive Ang, Philippine Fashion Coalition’s Carissa Cruz Evangelista and Michael Claparols.

Photo 18. CSC Chairperson and Commissioners with industry partners from AsiaTex, Medtecs, Unimoda, Philippine Fashion Coalition, and Creative Definitions during the launch of the PTF Law IRR on Aug. 30, 2023

The TC is set to meet to iron out details in procurement and compliance to the law as contained in the revised IRR that has become effective as of September 01, 2023.

PTF are fabrics containing NTFs produced, spun, woven, or knitted, and finished in the Philippines and which have been tested and certified by the DOST-PTRI as compliant with the provisions of R.A. No. 9242.