Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has unveiled new textile products made of bamboo charcoal which are set to transform the country’s image from a producer of low cost textiles, to a centre of technical expertise and manufacture.

The new textiles are the result of two years of research and development, carried out by the MOEA in conjunction with the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI) and several private companies. Textiles containing bamboo charcoal that anti-odour, heat retention, and wicking properties, they are even said to be able to block electromagnetic radiation.