Piñatex by Ananas Anam is a natural, nonwoven material made from pineapple leaf fibre which can be used as an alternative to leather and petroleum-based textiles.

The London-based company uses pineapple leaves from the Philippines, which are a by-product of pre-existing agriculture industry. The leaves are processed to extract the fibres and these are manufactured into a nonwoven substrate. The substrate is then sent to Spain where it is finished into Piñatex.

As the pineapple leaf fibres are a by-product of the agriculture industry, no extra land, water or pesticides are required to produce the raw material.

The pigments used for Piñatex are GOTS-certified and the resins comply with AFIRM standards. Piñatex is also REACH compliant.

“All Piñatex materials are sustainable as it is made from waste pineapple leaves and the manufacturing of the textile abides by the cradle to cradle philosophy,” Em Mendoza, sales and marketing manager at Ananas Anam, tells UKFT. “The production of Piñatex provides a second stream income as well for the farmers that we work with in the Philippines so that they can provide for a more stable lifestyle for their families.”

She said the company works with a mix of international brands, such as Hugo Boss, independent designers and workshops. The minimum order for the material is 1m.

Piñatex is a versatile, lightweight and durable material, making it suitable for use across fashion and interior furnishings. The company is working towards making the material strong enough to penetrate the automotive industry in the near future.

At Première Vision in Paris in February 2020, the company launched new colours in its original material and a new waterproof Performance range, which contains a higher PU content.

The campaign to promote the creativity, quality, craftsmanship and innovation within the UK textile industry has been developed by UKFT in partnership with The Clothworkers’ Company. Contact textiles@ukft.org for more details.