Tropical Okinawa Prefecture in Japan grows a lot of sugarcane. Processing this cane into sugar produces tons and tons of leftover fiber as biomass, which presents this challenge for environmentalists: if Okinawa needs to find a use for sugarcane fibers, and the fibers have remarkable antibacterial and deodorizing properties, why not put them to use in clothing? Well, until now, the problem was that the sugar extraction process left the cane fibers far too short to weave into yarn or thread. But, Mitsubishi Paper Mills developed technology that removes the fibers before the juice is extracted. Together with two other companies and Okinawa Prefecture, it is helping to utilize leftover biomass from the prefecture's most famous farm product to manufacture and sell apparel.

  The three companies first use of yarns blended from sugarcane and cotton fibers was in the manufacture of traditional Okinawan printed short-sleeve tropical shirts. Mitsubishi Paper Mills has begun sales through the Internet of a limited edition of shirts under the brand name –Love Cane.” The shirts are made entirely of tropical materials, including buttons of coconut shell.

  In addition to short-sleeve shirts, the company plans to use the new material in t-shirts, jeans and other casual apparel, as well as in drapery, bedding and bed linens, with an annual sales target of more than ¥100 million after two years.

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