DoST, Vintar Ilocos Norte opens Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center to boost local textile industry

The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) and the municipality of Vintar in Ilocos Norte on Friday officially launched the region’s Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center (RYPIC) to strengthen the country’s textile industry by helping local weavers and other stakeholders meet their demand for quality yarn.

“The launch of RYPIC here in Ilocos Norte represents a transformative milestone, one that will undoubtedly reach far beyond the borders of this province, catalyzing regional growth and national progress,” DoST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said during the launch event in mixed English and Filipino.

The new micro-scale yarn-spinning facility processes natural textile fibers (NTFs), such as abaca, banana, pineapple, bamboo, and cotton, into high-quality NTF-blended yarns. It also has in-house dyeing and finishing capabilities and houses a basic yarn testing laboratory for product quality assurance and compliance.

The facility’s infrastructure was funded by the municipal government of Vintar, while the advanced textile technologies used to produce the yarns were provided by the DoST-Philippine Textile Research Institute (DoST-PTRI). It will be operated by a pool of textile engineers, technicians, and scientists.

Since its soft launch in November last year, the facility has already produced 1,000 kilograms of cottonized yarn, which will be distributed to local weavers in the region.

The facility, which is the largest among the four RYPICs in the country in terms of building size and production capacity, can produce around 50 to 75 kilograms of yarn per day. It is projected to generate between P25 million and P72 million in annual revenue, DoST-PTRI said.

DoST-PTRI Director Julius L. Leaño Jr. said the establishment of the facility could support at least 860 weavers and 56 handweaving communities in the Ilocos Region, the second-largest weaving hub in the country after the Cordillera.

During the launch, several key government officials from the region expressed their support for and gratitude over the construction of the RYPIC.

Vintar Mayor Richard A. Degala noted that the facility strengthens the municipality’s sustainable livelihood initiatives.

“The RYPIC is a great blessing that will help us realize our goals and aspirations,” Mr. Degala said in his keynote speech in Filipino, referring to the municipality’s sustainable livelihood initiatives.

“The RYPIC will serve as a bridge to a brighter future for our production of high-quality yarn and textiles, not only for the municipality of Vintar but also for the entire Ilocos Region and Luzon,” he added.

The RYPIC also supports Republic Act No. 9242, or the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law, which mandates the use of natural fiber-based fabrics in government uniforms.

Following the facility’s launch, it is expected to undergo succeeding phases, including technology system validation and business incubation (Phase 2), full commercialization or licensing (Phase 3), and expansion and scaling up (Phase 4). — Edg Adrian A. Eva