Made of 100 percent recycled PET chips, model 2834 from Jeen Wei of Taiwan uses 450d fiber. The 58-inch-wide fabric has a single coating of PU.

Having overcome the difficulties of using eco fiber, makers are now incorporating sustainable practices in production.

Encouraged by heightened buyer awareness of environment-friendly textiles, suppliers on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are accelerating developments in this sunrise industry to boost exports.

Fabric incorporating organic cotton, bamboo, soybean protein, modal and Tencel now accounts for about one-third of mainland China's textile output. Of these, bamboo fiber dominates production, largely because of abundant supply.

Most fabric mills have made advances in bamboo fiber processing. The majority of bamboo fabric from the mainland weighs 190 to 220gsm and is knitted using 21 to 32s fiber blended with cotton or silk. To ensure effective anti-bacterial properties, manufacturers are incorporating at least 70 percent bamboo fiber into the blend.

Some companies have been able to offer knitted fabric made entirely from bamboo as well, even with the difficulties involved. Unlike common types of fiber, bamboo is more prone to breakage during spinning. Controlling the rate of shrinkage against water is also a challenge when adopting pure bamboo.

Suppliers in Taiwan, meanwhile, are focusing on fabric woven using recycled PET chips. Organic cotton and soybean protein textiles are also available, but recycled PET chips currently dominate production.

Most companies prefer to source materials locally as this allows them to monitor quality better. They require material providers to submit safety data sheets and testing certificates guaranteeing the environmental friendliness of the fiber. This includes compliance reports from Oeko-Tex and bluesign. Purchasing materials locally helps in lowering suppliers' carbon footprint as well.

In addition to sourcing environment-friendly materials, some makers are adopting "green" practices in fabric production, including low-pollution digital printing.

All of these developments have resulted in exports from the mainland and Taiwan growing between 15 and 30 percent annually.

What most makers are doing is to adopt as many sustainable practices as possible, from sourcing locally to establishing wastewater treatment facilities.

Among the mainland suppliers interviewed for this report, Shaoxing Jinyu Printing And Dyeing Co. Ltd offers bamboo, soybean and modal fabric. There are four production lines dedicated to the spinning, knitting and dyeing of environment-friendly textiles.

Shaoxing Jinyu sources bamboo fiber from local suppliers. Reactive dyes are employed. Solid-colored fabric is piece-dyed, while striped versions are yarn-dyed. The textiles can be used for underwear, shirts, sportswear, babywear, bedding and towels.

At present, bamboo fabric is priced from $8 to $9 per kilogram, while modal is between $4 and $7.

The company is currently developing fabric blends that will contain at least 60 percent soybean protein fiber.

Bamboo fabric is the main eco textile line at Shaoxing Fangyi Commercial Co. Ltd. At least 70 percent bamboo is used, often with cotton. Modal is also adopted in designs, most of which are reactive-dyed 135 to 190gsm single-jersey knits.

Newline Textile International Co. Ltd also offers bamboo fabric, but this trading company concentrates more on Tencel blends. The fiber from Lenzing is typically blended with silk, linen, acrylic or bamboo.

In Taiwan, Jeen Wei Enterprise Co. Ltd adopts fiber or yarn sourced only from local suppliers that have been awarded Green Mark certification by the island's Environmental Protection Administration. The company offers fabric woven from recycled PET chips or organic cotton, for use in garments and handbags.

Jeen Wei does not keep organic cotton in stock, thereby lengthening the lead time and increasing the price of such models. Even so, the company claims that most of its environmentally conscious buyers in North America and Europe do not mind the longer wait and the higher price. In fact, exports of fabric made of costlier recycled PET chips surpass those that come in regular polyester.

Also sourcing locally, Ecomax Textile Co. Ltd carries out all manufacturing processes from spinning to finishing in its Taiwan factory. The company believes that doing so causes the least amount of pollution and wastage, particularly since carbon emissions resulting from transporting materials to weaving and finishing plants are virtually eliminated.

In an effort to ensure all practices are kept as eco-friendly as possible, Everest Textile Co. Ltd set up an environmental accounting system in 2007. The publicly listed company invests $180,000 monthly in relevant green practices. About 40 percent of this amount is spent on water pollution prevention and conservation, which includes the maintenance and operation of a wastewater treatment facility. Around 800,000 tons of recycled water and 100,000 tons of fresh water are used daily.

Formosa Taffeta Co. Ltd's eco-friendly line consists mostly of organic cotton fabric. The publicly listed company keeps fiber in stock to ensure steady supply and maintain lead time. All of its textiles meet bluesign's standards for environment, health and safety.