The fish scales are made of fibre now and bring you a skin-friendly feeling.

The fish scales are made of fibre now and bring you a skin-friendly feeling.


The circular economy has been a popular topic recently, and people are expecting to reduce waste by upcycling to extend the product life cycle. Thanks to technology, now you cannot just eat fish but also wear it!


According to The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020 published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), global fish production reached 179 million tonnes as of 2018, of which 156 million tonnes were used for human consumption, with an estimated annual per capita use of 20.5 kg. The estimated annual per capita use is about 20.5 kg. Apart from the eaten portion, discarded fish scales make up about 1-5% of fish waste, and when left untreated in landfills, they not only create a bad smell but also pollute the environment by creating acidification.
Therefore, scientists are trying to find a way to reuse this waste. They found a lot of collagen, and many biotech companies are turning it into food supplements and skincare products.

 


Credit: 
World Fisheries and Aquaculture Production, Utilization and Trade (FAO, 2020)


In Taiwan, Dr James Hou, a well-known expert based on experience in textile and professional biology background, put much effort to turn the fish scales into the most skin-friendly fibre called UMORFIL® Bionic Fibre series. He uses supramolecular technology to integrate collagen peptides from fish scale with cellulose fibre to create softness, moisture, nature deodorisation, anti-UV, etc.

Also, the materials had passed the medical level of skin sensitisation and irritation tests(ISO 10993), so they can be used in all ranges of textile products from clothing, home textile and shoe materials.


 
   
UMORFIL® is a material integrates collagen peptides from fish scale with cellulose fibre.
 
In conclusion, thanks to the technology, it upcycles the waste into a new material that can help to upgrade the textile and reduce the pollution for the earth. We are expecting more and more innovation by upcycling to give a different meaning for the product again.

 
 
Reference
KYC FASHION CO., LTD.
Our mission is to use knit technology and eco-friendly material to make every creation come true. And the most important is to work with every partner to create an ideal industrial system.