Piñatex
Award: White Pencil
White Pencil / Impact / Sustained Solution / 2022
Award: Yellow Pencil
Yellow Pencil / Product Design / Responsible Products
Award: Wood Pencil
Wood Pencil / Impact / Local Solution
Award: Shortlist
Shortlist / Creative Transformation / Planet
Award: Shortlist
Shortlist / Impact / Collaboration
Award: Shortlist
Shortlist / Product Design / Innovation
Every year, over 2.5 million tonnes of pineapple are grown in the Philippines. While the fruit is packaged to feed people all over the world, pineapple leaves are left behind. For every tonne of pineapples harvested, 3 tonnes of leaves are wasted, and when left to rot, they can create methane emissions over 20 times more harmful than CO2. To make a change, Dole, one of the largest producers of pineapples in the world, partnered with Ananas Anam to produce Piñatex – a vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable leather alternative, which is made from the fibre of pineapple leaves that would otherwise go to waste.
What did the judges have to say?
"It shows a great example of sustainable and circular business innovation. Dole, as an established food company, collaborates with another company to create a new value stream in a completely different sector (fashion), through circulation of their agricultural by-product. It reduces the impact of the leather industry on the climate and reuses agricultural waste. It uses fashion to increase social awareness of the impact of animal farming on the climate, lowers the demand for goods with animal products, and sets standards in reduced use of animal products in other industrial sectors."
Ceren Bagatar, Multidisciplinary Designer, Kode21 Climate Solutions Design
"It takes a waste product and turns it into something valuable without disrupting existing pineapple farming. It solves a massive problem in a way that appeals to consumers and all others in the value system."
Melissa Mbugua, Co-Director, Africa Podcast