vegan leather - a new textile called pinatex

1. PINATEX
A SUSTAINABLE TEXTILE RESEARCH
PRESENTATION BY:
CHAHAT KATHURIA & ADITI

2. NEED OF THE
HOUR
• With leather becoming more scarce
and expensive, there is an enormous
opening in the market for alternative
materials, which to date have been
partially filled by plastics and
technical textiles.
• Buying leather directly contributes
to factory farms and slaughterhouses
because skin is the most
economically important by-product of
the meat industry.

3. • Leather is also no friend of the
environment, as it shares
responsibility for all the
environmental destruction caused
by the meat industry as well as the
pollution caused by the toxins like
chromium, sulphides, acids, etc used
in tanning.
• Faux leather make use of
petroleum-derived materials. These
can include polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
that can be harmful to health
because it contains chlorine that
also is bad for the planet as it
causes pollution. Besides for
chlorine, PVC also contains toxic
additives such as lead.

4. INTRODUCTION TO A NEW
TEXTILE
• Ananas Anam has developed an innovative, natural and sustainable
non-woven textile called Piñatex™ made from pineapple leaves
fibres. Piñatex has evolved from seven years of R&D to create a
natural textile from waste plant fibres.
Piñatex harnesses advanced technologies to create a totally
sustainable high performance natural textile. We carried out the
original development leading to Piñatex™ in the Philippines. Its
finishing, research and continuing development are now being
undertaken in the UK and Spain.
Piñatex provides new additional income for farmers while creating a
vibrant new industry for pineapple growing countries.

5. • Piñatex fibres are the by-product of the
pineapple harvest. No extra land, water,
fertilizers or pesticides are required to
produce them.
• The arrival of a suitable material of
natural origins such as Piñatex is likely to
be a welcome addition in this growing
market segment.
• Piñatex is a mass-produced sustainable
and versatile textile oriented to the
following industrial sectors : Fashion and
accessories sector, furnishing, car and
aeronautic industries.
No pineapples are harmed in the making
of Piñatex!

6. THE STORY
• Piñatex™ was created by Dr Carmen Hijosa. Carmen’s journey
began in Spain, but her career has taken her across the globe, from
Ireland to Germany, to the UK and The Philippines. She worked in
both the design and manufacture of leather goods for many years
before going to the Philippines to carry out further research into the
development of products made from natural fibres.
• A breakthrough came when she realized that she could make a non-
woven textile, a fabric bonded together without knitting or weaving,
from the long fibres found in pineapple leaves. The culmination of
her work resulted in the creation of Piñatex, a unique natural and
sustainable textile made from pineapple leaf fibres, a by-product
from the pineapple harvest.

7. •
Piñatex™ is strong, versatile, breathable, soft, light,
flexible, and can be easily printed on, stitched and cut.
NATURAL & SUSTAINABLE – It is a by-product of
the pineapple harvest, thus no extra water, fertilizers
or pesticides are required.
VERSATILE - Various thicknesses, finishes and
applications (under development).
Piñatex™ is produced on 155cm width textile rolls.
TECHNICAL TESTS - Piñatex™ is tested according
to ISO international standards for:
Seam rupture, Tear & tensile strength, Light & colour,
fastness, Water spotting, Flexing endurance, Abrasion
resistance, Resistance to ignition by cigarettes
Tests conducted at ITTC, Shanghai; The Institute of
Natural Fibers & Medicinal Plants, Poland; Intertek
UK & Turkey; and Bonditex SA. Spain.

8. MANUFACTURING PROCESS
• The fibres that make Piñatex™ come from pineapple leaves. The
fibres are extracted from the leaves during a process called
decortication, which is done at the plantation by the farming
community. Furthermore, the by-product of decortication is bio-mass,
which can be further converted into organic fertilizer or bio-gas.
• Both the extraction of the fibers and the consequent bio-mass will
bring added revenue stream to the farming communities.
• The fibres then undergo an industrial process to become a nonwoven
textile, which is the base of our material Piñatex™.
• The final step in the making of Piñatex™ takes place at a textile
finishing company in Spain, where our unique finishing process is
done before being shipped all over the world.

10. This is what we get finally – sustainable & biodegradable leather where no animals were killed.

11. THE PRODUCT RANGE By ANANAS ANAM
• Piñatex™ Original - is the first collection to be launched in the market
after long years of research. Inspired by the intrinsic characteristics of the
pineapple leaf fibres, its textural expression carry unique features such as
softness, pliability and strength.
Piñatex™ Original is engineered to suit the making of bags, shoes
and furnishing. The colours of Piñatex™ Original are classic, timeless and
unisex, well suited for the launch of our new material.
• Piñatex™ ORO - is the glamourous follow up to Piñatex™ Original. It is
shiny, smooth and firm.
It will be followed by other metallic hues shortly. We see Piñatex™
ORO complementing as a catchy element into the design of products made
of Piñatex™ Original.

12. THE PRODUCT RANGE By ANANAS ANAM
• PINATEX ORIGINAL -
CHARCOAL
• Product Code: PXO400Cha
Composition: 80% pineapple
leaves fibres, 20% PLA fibres
Width: 1.55m
Weight: 400 g/m²
Thickness: 1.5 – 2 mm

13. • PINATEX ORIGINAL –
NATURAL
• Product Code: PXO400Nat
Composition: 80% pineapple
leaves fibres, 20% PLA fibres
Width: 1.55m
Weight: 400 g/m²
Thickness: 1.5 – 2 mm

14. • PINATEX ORIGINAL – BROWN
• Product Code: PXO400Bro
Composition: 80% pineapple
leaves fibres, 20% PLA fibres
Width: 1.55m
Weight: 400 g/m²
Thickness: 1.5 – 2 mm

15. • PINATEX ORO – GOLD
• Product Code: PXR400Gol
Composition: 80% pineapple
leaves fibres, 20% PLA fibres
Width: 1.55m
Weight: 400 g/m²
Thickness: 1.5 – 2 mm

16. PINATEX FEVER
• International brands
like PUMA and Camper
are already adapting
this material and the
products are to hit the
markets soon.
Product prototypes by
PUMA (shoes), Camper
(shoes) and Ally
Capellino (bag).

17. REFERENCES
• http://www.crane.tv/pinatex
• http://www.ananas-anam.com/pinatex/
• http://www.thatsitmag.com/blog/2016/9/1/from-pinapple-to-puma
• https://www.dezeen.com/2016/06/09/pinatex-ananas-anam-vegan-leather-
alternative-ethical-recycled-pineapple-leaves-sustainable-materials-design-
camper/