Garments and textiles are among the key export products of Vietnam. To enhance the competitiveness of these kinds of products in the domestic and international markets, it is necessary for textile-garment businesses to regularly create new products to meet the increasing demand of consumers. However, the textile and garment sector is coping with the shortage of materials. Businesses operating in this sector have to import a large amount of materials. Moreover, most of textile-garment businesses manufacture products for foreign businesses or have to depend on foreign designing and technologies. Therefore, this sector produces low added value. It is necessary to create new materials in order to make highly competitive products and raise the profit for textile-garment businesses.

According to experts, chemical fibers will be dynamically developed in the 21st century. At present, chemical fibers account for 55 percent of total fiber production in the world. Aware of the common development trend of materials supplied for the textile and garment sector, the Textile Research Institute under the Ministry of Industry and Trade has carried out two research projects at the ministerial level including "application of some new materials in producing dressmaking cloths" and "application of Lyocell fiber (a soft, light fiber made from wood pulp) in garment and textile industry". After the two research projects, Lyocell fiber and fibers from bamboo and soybean trees have been applied in the textile and garment sector. The institute gave priority to doing research of Lyocell fiber and fibers from bamboo and soybean trees that are available in Vietnam. In addition, these fibers are original from cellulose and protein, so they have many advantages. Fiber from bamboo tree can produce airy and non-wrinkle clothes which are resistant to bacteria and ultraviolet rays. Fiber from bamboo tree can be used to produce bath towel, stocking and knitwear. Lyocell fiber is shiny, soft and strong when being washed. This fiber is used to produce shirts and knitwear. Fiber from soybean tree does not wrinkle and is easily to desiccate. In addition, soybean fiber is immune to bacteria and also used to make shirt and knitwear.

Apart from studying new material production process, the Textile Research Institute has done research on dyeing technology and used them to produce some clothes as a pilot program. Up to now, man-made fibers original from cellulose and protein used in the textile and garment sector have proved their advantages without being processed by any chemicals. These fibers are resistant to bacteria and ultra violet rays. These fibers are also beautiful, soft and easy to dry and eco-friendly. Notably, it is easy for textile-garment businesses to produce man-made fibers as they can use existing types of equipment to produce them.

Using chemical fibers is one of effective solutions to the shortage of materials in the textile and garment sector./.