When you think of pineapple, what comes to mind? A tropical fruit, right? Who would’ve thought we’d one day be wearing something that was once a plant?
Well, thanks to us continuously squeezing the life out of our planet, we’ve now reached a stage where we’ve to use food waste to create clothes. The idea is ingenious indeed.
As the need for sustainable and eco-friendly textiles rises, the fashion industry is increasingly looking for renewable materials. One such material is made out of the pineapple plant.
Originally developed by Dr Carmen Hijosa, a leather goods expert, Piñatex is a natural and sustainable alternative to traditional leather. It’s manufactured and distributed by Dr. Hijosa’s company, Ananas Anam Ltd.
Did you know that the pineapple industry globally produces 40,000 tonnes of waste leaves each year? This waste is usually left to rot or burned. By using this waste to create fibre for textiles, the company is also reducing CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere.
After the pineapple harvest, the fibres are extracted from the leaves during a process called decortication. After drying these fibres, they go through a purification process to remove any impurities. The fibres then undergo an industrial process to become a nonwoven textile, which is the base of the material. The final step is finishing the fabric which is done by a company in Spain. This process gives Piñatex its leather-like appearance, creating a soft, flexible, yet very durable textile.
Since the production process uses waste pineapple leaves, there’s no extra land, fertilizers, water, or pesticides required to produce the raw material.
Unfortunately, Pinatex is not biodegradable. It is composed of a mixture of pineapple leaves, PLA (Polylactic acid), and petroleum-based resins, and therefore, cannot break down on its own like authentic leather can.
Piñatex has been used to manufacture products such as bags, shoes, wallets, clothes, watch bands, and seat covers.
As consumers increasingly demand environmentally conscious products, the fashion industry’s adoption of materials like pineapple fiber reflects a positive shift towards a more sustainable and responsible future. With its unique properties, low environmental impact, and diverse applications, pineapple fiber is a testament to the innovation that can drive positive change in the textile industry.
The Namahh Edit 