Pineapple purses, funghi footwear, and other real, food-based products are showing potential in transforming the textile industry.<\/p>\n
The ever-growing movement to eliminate leather, fur, and other animal products from the wardrobes of the world are gaining popularity for a number of reasons, not the least of which is sparing animals of their hides and repurposing\u00a0materials that would have ended up as waste.<\/p>\n
On the peels\u2014er, heels\u2014of this movement is Pi\u00f1atex<\/a>, a material made from the fibers of pineapple leaves that are a byproduct of the fruit harvest.<\/p>\n Therefore, its producers say, no additional land, water, or fertilizer is needed to produce the leather alternative, which is being used in the manufacturing of shoes, bags, and furnishings.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just about a product, it\u2019s about the responsibility,\u201d said Carmen Hijosa, founder and CEO of Ananas Anam, parent company of Pi\u00f1atex. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to think about the consequences of our thinking and our doing.\u201d<\/p>\n She started developing the material while working with the Design Centre Philippines, which became the basis for her PhD at London\u2019s Royal College of Art.<\/p>\n The sustainable production of the leaf-based textile, she said, can help developing economies \u2014 without the environmental or ethical implications of leather.<\/p>\n