The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) and the municipality of Vintar in Ilocos Norte have officially launched the region's Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center (RYPIC) to strengthen the country's textile industry.
The launch of RYPIC represents a transformative milestone, one that will undoubtedly reach far beyond the borders of this province, catalyzing regional growth and national progress.
The new micro-scale yarn-spinning facility processes natural textile fibers, such as abaca, banana, pineapple, bamboo, and cotton, into high-quality yarns.
The facility 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).
The facility has already produced 1,000 kilograms of cottonized yarn since its soft launch in November last year, which will be distributed to local weavers in the region.
The facility, which is the largest among the four RYPICs in the country, 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.
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.
Several key government officials from the region expressed their support for and gratitude over the construction of the RYPIC.
The facility strengthens the municipality's sustainable livelihood initiatives and serves as a bridge to a brighter future for the production of high-quality yarn and textiles.
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.
The facility 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).
