2023.06.08
"Wearable Collagen" – Development of Natural Fiber "FILAGEN" Utilizing Fish Scales
In 2019, Steve Hwang, the current representative who has been in the textile industry for many years, a Thai company that developed collagen fibers, and companies in China and Taiwan responsible for thread and fabric development and production, jointly established FILAGEN Global in Korea. They gained attention with their flagship product, a fiber called "Wearable Collagen," known as "FILAGEN."
Recently, as FILAGEN has been expanding in Europe, America, and Asia, it has also started to be introduced gradually in Japan. We spoke with Ken Miyasaka, the agent in charge of FILAGEN's expansion in Japan, about what FILAGEN is, its functions, and its future development.
Utilizing Collagen Extracted from Fish Scales
FILAGEN is a natural fiber created by blending collagen peptides extracted from fish scales with chips from beech wood pulp. Developed by Thailand's GEP Spinning Co., Ltd. in 2009, it obtained a patent in 2017 after further research, development, and testing, and began global expansion.But why focus on collagen from fish scales in the first place?
"In Taiwan, milkfish (Chanos chanos) are commonly eaten, which results in a substantial amount of scales, skin, and bones being discarded.
"GEP Spinning Co., Ltd., a Thai company with a Taiwanese researcher as its representative, began research to find a way to utilize these waste materials effectively.
"While fish scale collagen had already been used in cosmetics and collagen packs, seeing potential in mixing collagen with fibers sparked the idea for this unique product.
"Initially, the main goal wasn't SDGs recycling. The idea was to leverage the abundant, discarded collagen for business. This endeavor inadvertently contributed positively to the global environment.
"Through research and development using nanotechnology, FILAGEN has features like moisturization, antibacterial deodorization, UV protection, and skin comfort. Since FILAGEN is made entirely from natural materials, it's gentle on the skin and the environment, differentiating it from other materials that undergo post-processing."
Crafting & Deploying FILAGEN
What measures and challenges were involved in developing and deploying FILAGEN as a fiber?"Initially, some companies attempted to combine capsule-type collagen with various fibers or tried coating processes, but they couldn't solve issues like collagen falling off during washing. Nanotechnology helped FILAGEN overcome these issues. However, maintaining the functions of FILAGEN while balancing cost-effectiveness to offer a product at an affordable price was the biggest challenge, requiring extensive trial and error.
"Currently, the raw material cost is about 50% higher than regular cotton, but prices have been controlled to make it marketable. Though labeled as rayon, FILAGEN meets Japanese textile standards for fabric strength. Following this research and development, the company was established in 2019 to expand globally.
"However, the onset of the pandemic meant that exhibitions were unattainable. Consequently, in 2022, as the pandemic situation eased, agents like myself were appointed worldwide to start sales."
Compared to overseas, the deployment in Japan started somewhat later due to needing compliance with strict standards in Japan.
"FILAGEN has a unique gloss and softness akin to silk. Overseas, this attractive appearance and texture are highly valued first and foremost. The added value of collagen fibers sparks high interest, rapidly advancing product commercialization deals.
"However, in Japan, proving the added value with data or evidence is a business prerequisite, thus delayed productization. This need for verification is why Japan's deployment lagged. We have now obtained data clearing various functional tests."
Share Article
TOP ARTICLES
RELATED ARTICLES
CONTACT
If you have any questions or enquiries, please enter your details in the form below.