Taiwan Today

Lack of relevant laws and regulations is prohibiting the National Taiwan Craft Research Institute from honoring orders for its “Yii” brand craftworks valued at nearly NT$100 million (US$3.1 million), institute director Lin Jeng-yi said Nov. 19. The director made the remarks at the awards ceremony for the 2009 Taiwan Craft Competition. He is seeking help from Emile Chih-jen Sheng, minister of the Council for Cultural Affairs, which oversees the institute’s operations. Lin said craftworks are a sub-sector of the six emerging industries strategically promoted by the government, and the NTCRI is the organization responsible for carrying out relevant projects. According to the director, the “Yii” brand created by the institute aims to inspire concerted efforts from designers and craftsmen for innovative creations. More than 50 works have been developed under the brand over the past two years. The brand secured orders of over NT$30 million when it made its debut in the Maison & Objet Paris trade show in 2008. Orders this year totaled over NT$85 million, with more under negotiation exceeding NT$100 million, he said. The most popular items under the brand are a bamboo suspension chair dubbed Chair-43 and a bamboo stool code-named Bambool. Together the two generated orders valued at more than NT$50 million, the director noted. Despite these business opportunities, the NTCRI has been unable to make delivery because, as a state-sponsored entity, its operations are bounded by government laws and regulations, the director explained. Lin said after searching through all relevant laws and regulations for two months, the institute finally found a solution in Article Six of the Science Technology Basic Law of the Cabinet’s National Science Council. Based on the article, the CCA only has to formulate relevant operation guidelines for notice by the NSC and Legislature. The NTCRI has already drafted such guidelines, which are now pending approval from the CCA. With these regulations in place, the institute will be able to honor these orders, and can start to make inroads into international markets through the establishment of overseas retail stores in 2010 at the earliest. (SFC-THN)