With the opening of a new textile processing hub in Laguna, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is banking on a lucrative opportunity on transforming waste products into textile material.
The new Natural Textile Fiber Innovation Hub (NTFIH), located inside the Laguna University in Santa Cruz, was opened last Thursday, April 16, by officials of the DOST led by Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.
It is the first of its kind in Calabarzon, and the third in the country.
"If we see trash, don't think that it's just a waste. Plastic, paper, old cloth, and even agricultural waste can be turned into new products," Solidum said in his speech during the event.
The water hyacinths of Laguna de Bay, he said, is an untapped resource for textile materials.
According to the DOST, water hyacinths can be turned into a viable raw material and transformed into a high-value and sustainable natural textile fiber.
"By harvesting these plants, we help clean our waterways while creating a new way for our lakeside communities to have additional sources of livelihood. These are clear opportunities to add value to these natural textile fibers while empowering our local farming and lakeside communities to have additional sources of livelihood," he said.
Solidum said DOST and its partners have explored the potential of banana pseudostem and pineapple leaf fibers, which are typically regarded as agricultural by-products.
With the establishment of the NTFIH Laguna, the DOST promotes the commercialization of research and development outputs in support of textile enterprises.
(With report from PNA)
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