Made-in-Taiwan uniforms to kick off World Cup

As the quadrennial FIFA World Cup tournament kicks off in South Africa tomorrow, Taiwan will be appearing not among the 32 contending teams, but as a maker of their uniforms. Nine of the competing teams will be donning uniforms made of recycled materials completely made-in-Taiwan (MIT). So even without a national soccer team playing, Taiwan’s textile-technology will still be present to flex its muscles on the fields.

Over 13 million polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were used to produce the 2010 World Cup jerseys for the teams and retailers. On average, eight plastic bottles can be recycled into one jersey. Not only are they environmentally green, it weighs 13 percent less than traditionally shirts. Each one is fashioned from 144-thread-count fibers, which helps keep the players drier by allowing sweat to evaporate quicker. This not only shows Taiwan’s technological superiority, but also demonstrates the island’s advances in “green” products.

According to the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI), PET bottles are reprocessed and extruded into polyester fiber, which in turn are turned into fabric for the shirts. Dyeing techniques are also crucial as coloring standards for FIFA soccer jerseys are quite strict. The jerseys were dyed in an environmentally friendly fashion in keeping with the Global Green Standards. In this regard, the jersey’s high quality reflects Taiwan’s leading technology and cost-effective production.

After years of vigorous efforts by the TTRI in research and development, Taiwan’s continued innovations has made steady breakthroughs in dyeing and textile-fiber-production technology. As such, Taiwanese textiles have become a favorite choice of renowned international sports brands. According to the TTRI, nine national teams (Brazil, The Netherlands, Portugal, United States, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Serbia and Slovakia) will be wearing uniforms made by Taiwanese manufacturers.

The jerseys, cut to fit the world’s best soccer players, will provide unmatched airflow and pliability. It speaks to Taiwan’s outstanding achievements in textile-manufacturing technology and serves as a testament to the island’s commitment to protecting the environment, conserving energy and reducing carbon emissions.