Philippine's sustainable textiles get boost from banana plantations

The recent establishment of the Natural Textile Fiber Innovation Hub (NTFIH) in Benito Soliven, Isabela, represents a significant leap for the Philippine textile industry. By leveraging the region’s vast banana plantations, which cover approximately 1,200 hectares, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is transforming agricultural waste into high-value textile-grade fibres. This move directly addresses a long-standing inefficiency in the sector: the disposal of thousands of tonnes of banana stalks that, until now, offered little economic return to local farmers.