Piñatex

What is Piñatex?

Piñatex is an eco-friendly material made from pineapple leaf fibers, grown in the Philippines.

This innovative material requires almost no additional environmental resources to be produced since the leaves are usually thrown away, burned or partially used for composting on the ground.

The history of piñatex

It all started when Carmen Hijosa , a leather goods designer, was consulting in the export of leather in the Philippines in the 1990s. She was deeply shocked by the environmental impact of mass production of leather and chemical tanning, and this led her to look for a sustainable alternative because she knew that PVC-based alternatives were not the solution.

Inspired by the abundance of natural resources in the Philippines , including the use of plant fibers in traditional weaving, Carmen sought to create a new , eco-friendly textile that could be commercialized, have a positive social and economic impact, and maintain a low environmental footprint throughout its life cycle.

One of his sources of inspiration was the barong tagalog, a traditional Filipino garment made from pineapple fibers .
After years of research and development, Carmen created the company Ananas Anam in 2013 and markets Piñatex , a pineapple leather hitherto unmatched in terms of natural composition , with a share of plant fiber amounting to 72% .
Ananas Anam not only offers an alternative to leather , but also a new form of textile in perpetual evolution . The principle: a material as flexible and robust as traditional leather , developed from pineapple fibers in reasoned conditions , respectful of man and the environment .
To do this, Ananas Anam works with farmer cooperatives based in the Philippines, from whom it buys the fibers from the leaves that surround the fruit when it is harvested. The company thus provides these farms with an additional source of income , while reducing their waste production (each year, pineapple crops produce up to 3 million tons of burned waste).

How is piñatex produced?

After pineapples are harvested in the Philippines , the leaves of the plants are collected to extract the fibers .

The fibers are washed in the rivers of the farms, then dried naturally in the sun , or during the rainy season in ovens.

Once dried, they are pressed to become the base material which then goes to a specialized factory in Spain to be coated with corn-based polylactic acid (PLA), a bioplastic .

PLA has the advantage of being biodegradable and derived from a natural resource . On its own, it is recyclable, but unfortunately it is no longer recyclable once combined with pineapple fiber. The Ananas Anam team is constantly working to improve its product : a bio-sourced finishing layer to improve the biodegradability and recycling of its material is in development.

Ananas Anam is transparent about the composition of the piñatex :
- 72% Pineapple leaf fibers
- 18% PLA ( Polylactic Acid) = biodegradable polymer in industrial composting at a temperature of over 60
- 10% Polyurethane

What are the benefits of Piñatex?

Piñatex is a water-resistant, strong, breathable, soft and lightweight material . Its grained and pleated appearance makes it very attractive.
It has been tested by the independent Institute for Leather and Synthetic Leather in Germany: their analysis concludes that this material is as resistant to repeated loading and creasing as animal leather.

Piñatex is available in about ten colors, and 8 different finishes, offering a wide choice of texture and color combinations . It is truly a unique and original material . Indeed, piñatex does not visually resemble leather or any other material.
In 2016, Piñatex won the Arts Foundation UK Award for Material Innovation ; in 2015, Carmen Hijosa was a finalist in the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards .

Piñatex is certified vegan by the animal rights organization PETA .

The Ananas Anam company continues to innovate and has recently created two new ranges: a textile material called Piñayarn, and a material closer to the leather aspect "Piñatex performance".

What can you make with piñatex?

This beautiful , sustainable material is perfect for making vegan shoes , leather goods and accessories of all kinds. Here are some examples of fashion items made from pineapple "leather":

Vegan pinatex sandals from the Nae brand