Taiwan's 2 major garment firms invest in smartwear tech

Graphene helps devices detect and monitor electrical activity in the wearer’s heart more accurately.

Quang Viet has teamed up with the government-backed Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI), broadband system integrator HwaCom Systems Inc, Internet protocol surveillance solution provider Brickcom Corp and Formosa Taffeta Co, a textile manufacturing arm of Formosa Plastics Group, to develop the new product, Quang Viet president Charles Wu said on the sidelines of the global trade show.

Formosa Taffeta will provide functional fabrics for the product. Quang Viet, which ready to begin mass production of the jacket, to be sold at $399, plans to spend up to NT$20 million in capital expenditures to accelerate the commercialization of its smartwear product over the next two years, a leading Taiwanese newspaper reported.

Makalot, which makes products for Gap Inc, Kohl’s Corp and Target Corp, has been working on the functional wear product with Hsinchu-based healthcare solution provider Singular Wings Medical Co for more than two years.

The company wants to differentiate itself by offering high-end products that can be used for medical purposes, as technical thresholds and gross margins for this type of product are usually higher, said Tsai Wayi, executive assistant to Makalot’s chief executive officer. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India