Although the idea may sound unbelievable, there is a vegan alternative to leather, which is made from pineapple leaves. London-based Ananas Anam has developed a natural and non-woven textile out of pineapple leaves, known as Piñatex which is remarkably similar to leather. The revolutionäre pineapple fabric is made from pineapple leaf fibres, a by-product from the pineapple harvest in the Philippines. During a process called decortication, the fibres are extracted from the leaves. The fibres then undergo an industrial process to become a nonwoven textile, which is the base of Piñatex. A by-product derived from the manufacturing process is biomass, which is converted into organic fertilizer or bio-gas and used by the farming communities, thereby closing the loop of the material's production.
Piñatex is the result of years of work and the search for an alternative to leather; a new type of natural tissue, which is 100 percent vegan and sustainable. In addition, it is also a strong, yet versatile, breathable, soft and flexible, material which can be easily printed on, stitched and cut, making it suitable for a number of fashion products. It has also won a number of awards. The next big step is to popularise Piñatex further and to continue developing and stabilizing its supply chain to meet the growing demand for its pineapple leaf, in a way that does not compromise its mission and fundamental values concerning environmental, ethical, social and economic sustainability.
source: internet
