There has been an explosion of ethical and sustainable fabrics in recent years, made of all sorts of bizarre, out-of-the-box natural or recycled materials as a base. New techniques and low-impact processes are merging technology and fashion driving the industry towards a more eco-friendly future. Guess a portion of the fashion industry finally got the message- ‘The Earth is dying.’
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But even in your wildest dreams, could you ever imagine that the fruit behind the aesthetic upside-down cakes or the popular piña coladas would end up turning into leather? No, we’ve not lost our marbles and Yes, you’ve read that right, pineapple leather is a thing and it is called Pinatex. A ground-breaking innovation to vegan leather.
Folks! Make way for the leather of the future ‘Piñatex’. Known to be a revolutionary fabric Piñatex is made of pineapple waste and is considered to be the pioneer among vegan leather alternatives for its durability and looks. Like, pineapple waste and leather? Would you believe that? But surely such a transformation can only be possible after some high-end complex processing steps. And that brings in the question if Piñatex is really a sustainable fabric or not.
Piñatex is a type of semi-synthetic leather that is made of cellulose fibers derived from pineapple leaves, a by-product from the pineapple harvest in the Philippines which is otherwise considered as agricultural waste. Known for its tensile strength and versatility, Piñatex is a sustainably sourced textile that requires less water (Because Hello! no extra production needs, remember?) and does not contain any toxic chemical processing. A perfect vegan alternative to leather. Crazy, right?
However, Piñatex is not 100% biodegradable as it contains Polylactic Acid and Polyurethane resin coating. But innovations are on the move and soon with the right mix of science Piñatex would be made fully biodegradable.
The journey of Piñatex started back in the 1900s when Dr. Carmen Hijosa was working as a leather goods consultant in the Philippines. She observed that the leather produced there was not only environmentally unsustainable but also of poor quality, involving a hazardous manufacturing process for the workers. Since then Dr. Hijosa has been tirelessly working towards creating a planet-friendly and cruelty-free substitute for animal hide.
After 7 years of intensive research, Piñatex was finally introduced to the world in 2015 by London-based company Ananas Anam. Dr. Carmen Hijosa is the Founder, Chief Creative & Innovation Officer for Ananas Anam Ltd. who holds a vision to create a socially and environmentally responsible fashion industry.
Piñatex is made up of pineapple plant leaves. These leaves are not those tiny ones that sprout on top of the fruit, instead, these leaves are the plant itself that sprout around the pineapple and are quite larger in size. Normally only the fruits are used while the whole plant is discarded. However, the production of Piñatex has given the pineapple farmers of the Philippines an additional source of income.
Piñatex production starts by collecting pineapple leaves of suitable size after the pineapple harvest. Using semi-automatic machines long and string-like fibers are extracted from these leaves which are then washed and naturally dried under the sun. Once dried, these fibers go through a purification process to remove all impurities, leaving behind a fluff-like material which then is blended with PLA (a corn-based Polylactic acid).
Next, the blend then undergoes a simple mechanical process, and ‘Piñafelt’ (a non-woven mesh) is created. The Piñafelt rolls are then shipped to Spain or Italy for finishing where they are dyed in GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified pigments followed by a REACH-compliant resin top coating for a metallic sheen, water-resistance, durability, and strength. Voila! Piñatex is ready.
Is Piñatex Fabric Sustainable?
Yes, Piñatex is a sustainable and vegan fabric. You see, with sustainable fabrics, it can’t always be black and white. In comparison to the highly controversial processes of traditional leather production, Piñatex is way more eco-friendly and humane. After all, isn’t it incredible to utilize waste pineapple leaf fibers into making something as exotic as leather without the cruelty and unsustainable practices involved? Who would’ve thought of it?
Since these pineapple leaves are a by-product from existing pineapple harvest, so even the raw material does not require any additional natural resources to produce. Indeed a wholesome outcome!
