TAIPEI — May 19, 2021 — Kingwhale—one of the world’s leading responsible manufacturers of performance textiles— commits to furthering its sustainability initiatives by emphasizing recyclable fibers in its portfolio of products. Through new processes, Kingwhale has better positioned itself to recycle discarded resources to develop new, reusable textiles, in turn, minimizing carbon emissions and its reliance on petrochemicals.
“We call it a ‘textile-to-textile’ process, where we can make new fibers from existing ones,” said James Huang, President of Kingwhale. “Forget about landfills. We’re collecting discarded garments, breaking them down, and reviving them as sustainable fibers. And it’s all done with environmentally safe treatments.”
Renowned for its range of technical knits and fleeces, Kingwhale is a vertically integrated company controlling the entire production process from fiber spinning to textile manufacturing to garment construction. Moreover, the company has long placed an emphasis on sustainability, with its proprietary technologies resulting in manufacturing practices that minimize energy consumption, reduce waste, and utilize fewer resources.
“The textile industry is notorious for generating excessive waste,” said Huang. “But Kingwhale is helping fix that. We’ve long been proponents of a circular economy for apparel, so we’re working hard to develop innovative recyclable fibers that can be regenerated into new materials over and over again, and thereby minimize the industry’s dependance on petroleum and other mined resources.”
New sustainable and biodegradable fiber-based products from Kingwhale are slated for launch this year.
To further demonstrate its commitment to carbon neutrality and responsible production, Kingwhale joined the RE100 global initiative in 2020, pledging to 100% renewable electricity by 2040. The textile manufacturer has become the first mill in the Asia-Pacific region to do so. RE100, led by the international non-profit The Climate Group, brings together large, influential organizations, such as Kingwhale, that are committed to taking ambitious actions to combat climate change.
Moreover, in the past year, solar panels located across Kingwhale’s facilities generated nearly 850,000 kWh of energy. Its reduction in carbon emissions is comparable to the CO2 absorption of over 41,000 trees.
As a bluesign® system partner and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified company, Kingwhale is already regarded as an industry leader with regards to its environmental stewardship. In fact, its L.I.T.® (Low Impact Technology) is lauded for its waste reduction and efficiency. This innovative yarn technology modifies the molecular structure of yarn fibers, thus making the dyeing process more efficient, leading to 60% less water for dye preservation, 15% less dyestuffs to achieve color, and 22% less electricity for heating and cooling.
“We’ve been paving the path for responsible textile production for years,” said Huang. “Looking ahead, I know Kingwhale can help establish new best practices to reduce carbon emissions and minimize the industry’s dependance on petroleum. And I know we’ll launch some game-changing sustainable fibers in the process.”
Posted May 19, 2021
Source: Kingwhale