Pineapple as a material

Using pineapple leaves for a leather alternative- here are some notes I gathered:

Plant based fiber

Made of cellulose extracted from pineapple leaves

Makes good use of pineapple waste- vegan fabric alternative

Pinatex- annas anam-pioneer of leather alternative

500 clothing manufactures use pinatex

Allows farmers to generate additional income by sorting and selling long leaves suitable for for fiber production instead of burning them or leaving them to rot

Most productive tropical fruit plantations in the world

One acre of pineapple can produce 20,000 fruits every 15 months

Material made from pineapple waste

Alternative to leather

Uses fine cellulose fibres extracted from pineapple leaves- considered an agricultural by-product often burned or left to rot

40,000 tons of pineapple waste a year is generated globally

How its done

Strands are taken apart and felted together into a non woven fabric

Clothes

Shoes

Furniture

480 leaves go into a single square meter of pinatex

Weighs and costs less than leather – cheaper

Breathable, flexible and can be printed on and stitched into

Can be purchased as a roll, avoiding wastage caused by irregular shaped leatherhides

Material includes a non-biodegradeable protective top layer for durability- but this is a working progress

Pinatex was developed by designer Carmen Hijosa- spent past 15 years working in leather industry

For more information:

https://www.dezeen.com/2016/06/09/pinatex-ananas-anam-vegan-leather-alternative-ethical-recycled-pineapple-leaves-sustainable-materials-design-camper/