Is there life after leather?
... nearly 1% of the UK follows a vegan lifestyle, according to a 2016 survey by The Vegan Society, which is up by more than 350% since 2006. Education about livestock practices and environmental stewardship is growing too, and that means an interest in alternatives to animal products.
... Pineapple fibre faux suede
Each year the world produces around 25 million tonnes of pineapples. It turns out that their leaves — which would generally be a waste product — contain a strong, flexible fibre that can be turned into a convincing faux suede that is one-quarter the weight and two-thirds the price of real leather. Creator Carmen Hijosa calls the material Piñatex. The leaves currently come from the Philippines, where they are separated into fibre and biomass in a decorticating machine, and the former is formed into sheets (pictured top) via a felting process and treated with a waterproof coating. (The leftover biomass can be turned into fertilizer.) Hijosa's London-based startup, Ananas Anam, (see - and it's worth a look - ananas anam - New materials for a new world ) has worked with apparel designers to create Piñatex shoes, jackets, handbags and, yes, car-seat upholstery.
... "I just don’t think what we’re doing today is going to be sustainable for the next 10,000 years without some major changes.”
... nearly 1% of the UK follows a vegan lifestyle, according to a 2016 survey by The Vegan Society, which is up by more than 350% since 2006. Education about livestock practices and environmental stewardship is growing too, and that means an interest in alternatives to animal products.
... Pineapple fibre faux suede
Each year the world produces around 25 million tonnes of pineapples. It turns out that their leaves — which would generally be a waste product — contain a strong, flexible fibre that can be turned into a convincing faux suede that is one-quarter the weight and two-thirds the price of real leather. Creator Carmen Hijosa calls the material Piñatex. The leaves currently come from the Philippines, where they are separated into fibre and biomass in a decorticating machine, and the former is formed into sheets (pictured top) via a felting process and treated with a waterproof coating. (The leftover biomass can be turned into fertilizer.) Hijosa's London-based startup, Ananas Anam, (see - and it's worth a look - ananas anam - New materials for a new world ) has worked with apparel designers to create Piñatex shoes, jackets, handbags and, yes, car-seat upholstery.
... "I just don’t think what we’re doing today is going to be sustainable for the next 10,000 years without some major changes.”
