
In case you’re new to pineapple leather, then you must know that it’s a new type of leather that’s slowly emerging onto the current fashion scene. Unlike traditional leather, pineapple leather is not created from animal hides. However, the good news is that – compared to other forms of faux leather – this material has already been proven to have comparable properties to real leather. For instance, like real leather, pineapple leather is flexible, breathable and highly durable.
If you want to know more about pineapple leather, then you’ve arrived at the correct place as we’re going to discuss the same in detail.
What Is Pineapple Leather?
Pinatex, or otherwise known as pineapple leather, is a sustainable and innovative material that’s formed from pineapple leaves. According to a professional service provider for leather lounge cleaning in Sydney, it’s environmentally friendly and is 100 percent organic, making it a great alternative to real leather.
Pineapple leather was discovered in the 1990s, when a Spanish designer named Carmen Hijosa, was working in the Philippines leather industry as a consultant. During her time in the Philippines, she was not pleased with the overall quality standards of the leather products and thus, she began her search for new, alternative material.
One of the many fashion items that Filipino men used to wear intrigued her, known as the Barong Tagalog. The Barong is considered to be the national dress of the country Philippines. To create that dress, one of the key materials that were used was pineapple leaves. As a result, Carmen Hijosa fell in love with the fineness & strength of the material.
Once the designer started experimenting with the material, it was concluded that the fibers can be bonded together and used, rather than knitting or weaving them. And after several years of research, Pinatex was created. The Spanish designer was also responsible for founding the company known as Ananas Anam, who was on a mission to develop materials & textiles that are friendly towards the environment.
The Method How Pineapple Leather Is Created
Pineapple leather is created by harvesting the leaves that surround a pineapple and then the fibers from the leaves are extracted. These extracted fibers are then created into a mesh where it’s then sent to a nearby textile factory. Inside the factory, they are chemically & mechanically fused, so that a final product can be produced. And thus, flexible, durable, and non-woven material is created.
The Social Impact Of Pineapple Leather
Pineapple leather not only feels great but looks awesome as well. Moreover, it’s also providing massive opportunities to the farming communities and also is highly environmentally friendly. It should be known that Pinatex is the first fabric to be ever given a vegan logo by PETA. That’s not all though because pineapple acts as a natural soil fertilizer and growing more of the same will always be advantageous.
Therefore, if you’re on the fence about whether to go ahead with real leather or pineapple leather, you’ll always have the alternative option to try pineapple leather if you want to support environmentally sustainable practices.