Pinatex is a mass-produced sustainable and versatile textile oriented to industrial sectors.
LONDON, UK: 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.
Ananas Anam Ltd has developed an innovative, natural and sustainable non-woven textile called Pinatex made from pineapple leaf fibres. Pinatex has evolved from seven years of R&D to create a natural textile from waste plant fibres.
Pinatex harnesses advanced technologies to create a totally sustainable high performance natural textile. While the initial development work leading to Pinatex originated in the Philippines, significant research & development is now being undertaken between the UK and Spain.
Pinatex provides new additional income for farmers while creating a vibrant new industry for pineapple growing countries. Pinatex fibres are the by-product of the pineapple harvest. No extra land, water, fertilizers or pesticides are required to produce them. No pineapple is harmed in the making of Pinatex!
Key Attributes
Outstanding Performance
Pinatex original is strong, versatile, breathable, soft, light, flexible, and can be easily printed on, stitched and cut.
Natural & Sustainable
Pinatex is a by-product of the pineapple harvest, thus no extra water, fertilizers or pesticides are required to produce Pinatex.
Versatile
Various thicknesses, finishes and applications (under development).
Patented
Pinatex involves a patented technology that protects both the process and the finished material. Pinatex is produced on 155cm width textile rolls.
Pinatex 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
Manufacturing process
The fibres that make Pinatex come from pineapple leaves. The fibres are extracted from the leaves in a process called decortication, which is done on 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 fibres 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 Pinatex.
The final step in the making of Pinatex takes place at a textile finishing company in Spain, where our unique finishing process is done before being shipped all over the world.
Pinatex is a mass-produced sustainable and versatile textile oriented to industrial sectors
- Fashion and accessories
- Furnishings
- Car and aeronautic industries
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