Taiwan textile firms eyeing Gulf countries

Two Taiwanese textile firms have set their sights on the Muslim world, which accounts for about a fifth of the global population (between 12 bn to 1.6 bn), by introducing new technology and innovative designs to appeal to the demographic. One of the two Taiwanese firms is Rui Yuan Co has sent a delegation to demonstrate its products to appeal to potential Muslim buyers at Texworld Paris, one of the most important trade shows for the global textile industry, which closed very recently.

The Taiwanese company, which specialises in garments made from functional fabrics, has brought Muslim headscarves to the trade exhibition in Paris. "A female Muslim owns an average of 40-50 headscarves. They tend to buy new headscarves to replace some of their old ones every two to three months, so we have spotted the tremendous business opportunities in this regard," says, a Rui Yuan executive.

Taiwan has technology to produce functional fabrics but many Taiwanese firms simply cater to sports brands, so Rui Yuan is determined to introduce innovative headscarves to female Muslims.So far, Rui Yuan has started its marketing campaign in the China and Malaysia markets for its female Muslim headscarves. In addition to participating in Texworld Paris for the first time ever to boost its global visibility, Rui Yuan is planning to extend its reach to the UK market in the near future to secure more orders.