Collaboration on the Journey of Innovation in Fashion for People

On the morning of March 13th, Faslink and BambuUP officially signed an MOU aimed at enhancing the enterprise’s capacity for innovation, demonstrating leadership vision in the sustainable fashion industry.

The event marked a new role for BambuUP. BambuUP officially became an Innovation Partner, accompanying Faslink in enhancing sustainable development capabilities within the enterprise.

Fashion Sustainability for Health

According to UNEP (The United Nations Environment Programme), it is estimated that every second, the equivalent of a large truckload of fashion waste is dumped directly into landfills, exerting tremendous pressure on the environment.

In this context, many brands worldwide have revamped their strategies, driving the textile industry towards sustainability. While Chopova Lowena, Gucci, and Vivienne Westwood demonstrate their concern for the climate, in Vietnam, Faslink has also taken proactive steps early on.

In 2008, Faslink was among the pioneering suppliers of green materials, leading the trend towards sustainable fashion. Since then, Faslink has continuously sought and developed new material solutions to meet the demand for sustainable fashion in the market.

Mrs. Tran Hoang Phu Xuan, CEO of Faslink, shared, “Nurtured by a deep love for Vietnamese coffee, at Faslink, we cherish the values that coffee beans bring to the economy and life of the Vietnamese people.“

In its supply chain, Faslink not only trades green fiber fabrics from around the world but also researches various local ecological fiber fabrics. This poses significant challenges for Research and Development (R&D) activities to explore the application of bamboo fibers, lotus fibers, shell fibers, coconut fibers, and peppermint fibers.

Furthermore, the challenges for Faslink are not only financial but also time and manpower constraints to create effective innovative solutions. The lack of updated information on the latest technology trends in sustainable fashion production processes also hampers R&D activities at Faslink.

Enhancing the capacity to conquer the peak of innovation

The story of bringing coffee fiber closer to Vietnamese fashion by Faslink began in 2017. At that time, Faslink collaborated with Singtex to introduce coffee shirts. This was the world’s first coffee fiber fabric, marking a breakthrough in the use of recycled raw materials.

Coffee shirt products quickly commercialized in Vietnam. To date, Faslink has supplied nearly 3 million coffee fiber products to over 40 fashion brands such as Owen, Yody, Coolmate, and Routine.

Within the framework of “The Journey of Coffee to Fashion” event, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, Deputy Secretary-General of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), emphasized that Faslink’s current success is thanks to technology application.

To maintain its leading position in the sustainable fashion industry, Faslink signed a Memorandum of Understanding for strategic cooperation with the BambuUP Open Innovation Connection Platform.

In its new role, BambuUP helps shape and advise on innovative strategies, vigorously commercializing coffee fiber fabrics in the Vietnamese and regional markets. The successful cooperation agreement holds strategic significance in promoting innovation and sustainable development in the fashion industry.

Long-term vision for sustainable fashion

Representing Coolmate, CEO Pham Chi Nhu believes that the trend of young people’s awareness of fashion is changing. They have become aware of the fashion industry’s impact on the environment. Therefore, today’s youth are inclined towards sustainable brands and diverse products rather than just focusing on prices.

With the mission “Fashion for Health” by 2024, coffee fiber fabrics have been improved with outstanding features such as odor control, wicking, and UV block.

Innovation from origin, production processes, and labor conditions is a requirement for Vietnamese textile companies to “catch the eye” of this target audience group. With the companionship from the BambuUP Open Innovation Connection Platform, this is an opportunity for Faslink to break through and conquer the peak of innovation.

“The journey of coffee beans will continue, love for coffee will persist on versatile and fashionable clothing items, accompanying us in every aspect of lifes,” Mrs. Xuan said.