Ananas Anam: Innovative plant-based Piñatex made from pineapple leaves
24/06/2022
Ananas Anam is a UK-based certified B-Corporation responsible for developing innovative plant-based textiles like Piñatex, and breaking barriers in the world of fashion materials to lead the way in sustainability.
Piñatex can be used as a sustainable and natural alternative to leather for the footwear, fashion, home accessories and interior markets. Piñatex is made from pineapple leaf fibres, a by-product from existing pineapple harvest. Valorising waste reduces the amount of leaves being burnt, therefore saving CO2 from being released into the atmosphere. Piñatex is made of up to 95% renewable resources and uses no hazardous chemicals in its production.
It was created by leather goods expert Dr Carmen Hijos, who filed a patent for the process of transforming fibre into an alternative to leather and other textiles in 2011.
Piñatex was commercialised in 2016, with the first orders received from fashion and accessory retail brands that same year. By 2021, the innovative material had been adopted by brands including Hugo Boss, H&M, Paul Smith and Nike, and more than 300 jobs had been created in rural farming communities in the Philippines, where the pineapple leaves are sourced.
Most recently, the company released its annual impact report which highlighted that by valorising leaf waste, Ananas Anam prevented the equivalent of 267 tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere in 2021.
In 2021, Ananas Anam partnered with DOLE Sunshine Company in the Philippines to provide an even greater volume of pineapple leaf fibres to meet the increasing demand for Piñatex from the textile industry. Working closely with the Dole Speciality Ingredients team on the ground helps Ananas Anam to create a wider positive social impact among farming communities and to continuously reduce its environmental footprint by valorising waste at scale.
The company has pledged to reduce is carbon footprint by a further 15% during 2022.
Ananas Anam’s pioneering approach and progressive business model are driven by creative thinking, seeking out new ingenious technologies, and showing that ethics and business can be combined successfully.
Find out more at www.ananas-anam.com