Circularity potential
High
Strength
High
Production energy
Low
Stiffness
Medium
Embodied CO2
Low
Density
Low

Pineapple (Ananas comosus) leaf fibres, sometimes abbreviated as PALF, are a by-product of pineapple cultivation for food. They have great potential for many applications, but have not been exploited commercially in the same way as bast fibres such as hemp, flax (linen) and jute. As a result, there is not much data available, so some assumptions have been made, based on similar materials, to give an indication of the mechanical properties and environmental impacts of this fibre.

While the fibre holds a lot of promise for fashion, textiles, composite reinforcement and automotive applications, pineapple farming is not particularly ethical or sustainable. Plant fibres are a renewable resource that are biodegradable and have many physical and mechanical qualities that make them a desirable alternative to synthetics. In addition, the leaves and other waste are often burnt or left at the production site, and only a small amount goes to composting or animal feed.

However, plantations are responsible for the destruction of rainforest and large quantities of chemical pesticides and fertilisers are required for the monoculture crop to be productive. Even so, their carbon footprint is relatively low compared to some other less productive foods, at around 0.02 kgCO2e/kg. Most of this is attributed to the use of pesticide and fertiliser.

The pineapple plant is native to Brazil and cultivation has gradually spread to other tropical parts of the world. Today, the largest producers are Thailand, Philippines, Brazil, China, India, Nigeria, Mexico and Indonesia.

Bio-composite synthetic leather
Piñatex

Search similar materials
Find better material

Sustainability concerns
Non-renewable ingredients
Raw material generates polluting by-products
Low circularity potential
Potentially toxic in use
Microplastics


Piñatex is a coated textile, created by Carmen Hijosa and marketed by Ananas Anam, pitched as a synthetic alternative to leather. Through repurposing pineapple waste into a textile, the company has a positive impact on the farmers and local community.

The material is a composite that consists of a nonwoven fabric structure made up of 80% pineapple fibre mixed with 20% polylactic acid (PLA), which is subsequently coated with polyurethane resin (PUR). The PUR coating allows for a range of colours and finishes to be applied, such as leather grain. It also imparts additional strength, durability and water resistance – they have optimised the maximum amount of bio-based material they can use while still ensuring an adequate lifespan.

A foil is heat pressed on to create the metallic collection and a PUR transfer coating is used to create Piñatex Performance. These materials are used in fashion, accessories, upholstery and interiors.

Compared to conventional PUR coated textile, piñatex is around half the tensile strength. This is largely due to the fact it is nonwoven, as opposed to woven. It has slightly reduced flexural strength compared to PUR-coated fabric and regular leather produced from cowhide.


Design properties
Cost usd/kg
50-70
Embodied energy MJ/kg
35-45
Carbon footprint kgCO2e/kg
1.5-2.5
Density kg/m3
270
Tensile modulus GPa
0.01-0.02
Tensile strength MPa
4.5
Hardness Mohs
1
Temperature min-max °C
-40 to 120
Thermal
insulator
Electrical
insulator