Tofu silk

People are saying that soybean protein fibre is the new tofu silk and vegetable cashmere. Those in the know rave about soy's incredibly soft-to-the-hand feel, second-skin comfort, lustre, loft and drape, combined with wash-ability, durability, and good wear. An eco-friendly luxury textile offering many of the properties today's consumers demand.

Soybean protein fiber not only has excellent optic effects but also has the advantage of being a renewable natural resource and a by-product of food manufacturing. Some soy textiles have organic certification, which is another selling bonus in the small but growing organic fashion market.

Developed by Chinese Li Guanqi in 1999, this revolutionary fabric is eco-friendly and health promoting. It was awarded the gold prize product of patent invention by World Intellectual Property organization and the gold prize for product of patent invention by the State Patent Bureau of the People Republic of China. Beijing Huakangtianyuan's Chinese distributor, Harvest SPF Textile (Beijing) Co, currently produces 20,000 tons of soy fibre annually, and the Korean distributor Meedoo Textile Co anticipates sales of over 10,000 tons per year from 2004. Studies demonstrate that the SPF fabric has anti-bacteria and UV radiation prevention properties, good moisture absorption, as well as promotes micro-circulation of blood capillaries, helping the wearer stay comfortable and healthier.

"This is definitely something that we'd explore further," says Terry Kellogg of Timberland. "The green aspect would certainly be a selling point. An important consideration for us in thinking about these new fibres is: are they really superior from an environmental standpoint than the cotton we're already using in abundance, and moreover the organic cotton that we're moving towards?"

"It seems to be quite a hot button for us," says Gary Bracelin, COO and vice president marketing and sales at Of The Earth. "We're getting a lot of interest. For Fall, we're looking at blends with silk and possibly wools, as well as soy underwear base layers. There's a lot of other ways we could go with it."

"Companies are very open to and aware of the concept of sustainable fibres and are interested in seeing what kind of performance they can offer," says Karla Magruder, director of Fabrikology International, a US consultancy informing major fashion companies about new.

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